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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26061130">Who Am I? - I'm Spider-Man</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jadeys_World/pseuds/Jadeys_World'>Jadeys_World</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>To Be Worthy... [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Avengers Family, BAMF Peter Parker, Baby Monitor Protocol, Bomb, Bruce Banner's Suicide Attempt, Bucky Barnes Is a Good Bro, Cute Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Found Family, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a Good Bro, Light Angst, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Peter Using The Stones, Revenge, Sentient Infinity Stones (Marvel), Time Travel, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, peter parker to the rescue, space travel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:22:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>63,293</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26061130</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jadeys_World/pseuds/Jadeys_World</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter beat the programming, embraced the Stones’ power, and now he needs to learn exactly what that means and how to use and control them. He’s going on a journey throughout time and the universe to do explore, learn, and to attempt to ease some of the pain in the pasts of his new family.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ben Parker &amp; May Parker (Spider-Man) &amp; Peter Parker, James "Bucky" Barnes &amp; Peter Parker, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker &amp; James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Peter Parker &amp; Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe), Peter Parker &amp; Tony Stark, Wanda Maximoff/Vision</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>To Be Worthy... [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1750603</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>547</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>458</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/snarkymuch/gifts">snarkymuch</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Welcome to Story III!</p><p>I wasn't going to do this. I was going to have self-control for a change and wait until Wednesday to post since I've not got as many chapters in the 'bank' as I like to have when posting. I am going to blame rjcarreno77 because she tempted me. I have been waiting to post this one for weeks, and I can't tell you how excited I am to finally be able to put it up. I know I've said it before, but you are the most wonderful people for coming on this journey with me. This world has already racked up over 150,000 words, and we're not nearly done. The fact you've stuck with me this far means the world to me, and I hope some of you will be here until the end, which should be with Story VI. I can't guarantee that the world won't grow, though, as it was supposed to be a solo story initially. Even Story V was a recent addition to the timeline I was working with.</p><p>Thank you so much Prongs100 for pre-reading.</p><p>Okay, I'm done rambling. Enjoy xxx</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony rolled over and looked right to the bed where Peter should be, only Peter wasn't there; no one was there. Where Peter's bed should be was a dresser. For a moment, Tony felt a wave of confusion—who was sleeping with Peter if not him? Then realization dawned of what had passed over the past few days, and he buried his face in the pillow and smiled widely.</p><p>He didn’t need to spend the night in Peter’s room anymore because Peter didn’t need to be watched. That was all over. Peter was well again.</p><p>“What’s the time, Friday?” he asked, lifting his head.</p><p>“It is 7.45, Boss, and you’re the last to wake up.”</p><p>Tony chuckled. He wasn’t surprised he’d slept later than usual as it had been a late night. After the success of the BARF simulation, they’d spent the rest of the day celebrating together. Peter had been in a good mood, cheerful but sometimes pensive. Sam and Steve had gone into town to buy beers, soda, and Chinese takeout for dinner, and they’d all spent a happy evening watching movies, playing cards, and in Peter and Bucky’s case, sitting outside while the sun went down.</p><p>In a strange change of pace compared to what had been immediately after the battle, Tony had felt no discomfort or worry that Peter and Bucky were alone together, no jealousy even, as things were finally right between them all. He had peeked out of the window at one point and seen Peter resting his head on Bucky’s shoulder, his shoulders shaking with what Tony thought was laughter as Bucky’s head was thrown back and his prosthetic hand tousling Peter’s hair.</p><p>Things were good; the programming had been beaten, and Peter had embraced the Stones fully, whatever that meant. One thing he had said about it was that he could use them without tiring the way he did before, which Tony was pleased about as seeing Peter drop after using Reality to protect them had been a horrible moment to add to his nightmares.</p><p>Tony sat up and swung his legs around to sit on the edge of the bed. He ran a hand over his face and then stood and padded barefoot into the bathroom to clean himself up.</p><p>Fifteen minutes later, showered and dressed, Tony walked into the kitchen and greeted Sam, Steve, and Rhodey, who were gathered there. Rhodey and Steve were sitting at the table with mugs of coffee in front of them. Sam was watching four skillets of pancakes cooking, checking and turning them when they were ready, then stacking them on a platter that was already piled high. The sheer amount was necessary with so many people, some of them with super-sized appetites, waiting for the meal.</p><p>“Where is everyone?” he asked.</p><p>“Bruce and Wanda are around somewhere,” Rhodey said. “Pete and Bucky are outside together.”</p><p>“Jogging,” Steve supplied. “I ran with them for a while, but I figured I’d come in and help with breakfast.”</p><p>Sam snorted. “Help which was refused.”</p><p>Steve scowled at his back and then turned to Tony. “Queens was up and out first, and he seemed pretty buzzed, so we figured he could burn off some energy. Bucky was worried he might have lost muscle mass with the starvation and length of time he was ‘away., so he suggested jogging.’” He huffed a laugh. “From what I saw, Queens’ muscle mass is just fine; he was definitely holding back for Buck.”</p><p>“How fast is he, Tone?” Rhodey asked.</p><p>“No idea,” Tony said. “We never really tested him out. I knew he was strong enough to stop a speeding truck meeting him, and now I’ve seen he can lift a collapsed building, but he didn’t show interest in experimenting before.”</p><p>“I wonder how that’ll work with the Stones,” Rhodey said. “Now he’s accepted or embraced them, or whatever he did, they’re probably going to want him to use them. I doubt manipulating reality will be enough for them.”</p><p>Tony had wondered the same. They knew some of what Peter was capable of through Strange, and though Tony knew Peter would not abuse that power or possibly even want it, the fact was he was powerful and should explore and understand his power.</p><p>“Someone should go get them in,” Sam said. “Breakfast is just about ready.”</p><p>“On it,” Tony said.</p><p>"I'll come," Steve said. "They might be deep in still, and we'll need to go looking."</p><p>"Not with Peter's hearing, we won't," Tony said with a laugh. "We shout loud enough, he'll hear us."</p><p>They went out and towards the forest, going a little along the trail before Steve cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “Queens! Buck! Breakfast!”</p><p>Tony tilted his head to the side, listening carefully, and heard nothing.</p><p>“You hear them, Steve?” he asked.</p><p>Steve frowned a moment. “I hear one of them. I think it’s Bucky.”</p><p>“Then where the hell is Pete?”</p><p>He wasn’t worried, had no concern that Peter’s absence meant that he’d taken off as he knew Peter would never do that to them again. He had an inkling that Peter was screwing with them.</p><p>He heard the sounds of an approach, and then Bucky jogged into sight. He looked flushed and sweaty, and his brow was furrowed.</p><p>“Where’s Queens?” Steve asked.</p><p>He shrugged. "He took off on me. We were jogging, then he started running, then he just shot off." He pushed his long hair back from his face and smiled, taking the heat out of his words. "I think the little asshole is screwing with me."</p><p>Tony chuckled. “You should be pleased. If he’s messing with you, he’s really comfortable. You might want to prepare yourself for more, though. He gets the devil in him sometimes.”</p><p>Bucky raised an eyebrow then laughed. “Good to know.”</p><p>Steve held up a hand, and then his eyes drifted up. His lips quirked into a smile, and he said, "Well, he's not the only one that does that. If he's not here soon, me and Buck will split his share of breakfast with Bruce. He can have cereal."</p><p>There was a rustle above them in the tree, and then a blur of motion passed, and Peter landed on the balls of his feet in front of them.</p><p>“That’s just cruel,” he said, a slightly disturbed look on his face, which was still not as rounded as it should be. "It wasn't like I was going to hide forever, and it's not really my fault you can't keep up, Bucky."</p><p>Bucky shoved his shoulder. “Obviously, your spider trumped my serum, bud. You had an unfair advantage."</p><p>Tony looked up at the towering tree Peter had just jumped from and said thoughtfully, “Pete, how high up there were you.”</p><p>A smile tugged the corners of Peter’s mouth, but his eyes were innocently wide. “Not too high. Just a little high.”</p><p>Steve appraised the tree, which had to be over one-hundred feet tall. "How little?"</p><p>Peter turned his innocent face on Steve and said, “Maybe the top. Not too high.”</p><p>Bucky huffed a laugh. “Well, since you obviously got down without breaking bones, I figure no harm done.”</p><p>Peter grinned. “Yep, I’m fine. What’s for breakfast?”</p><p>“Sam’s made pancakes,” Steve said.</p><p>“Great,” Peter said, rubbing his stomach and darting away from them.</p><p>Tony watched him go, smiling slightly at the obvious evidence of his kid's wellness and happiness. "He's in a good mood."</p><p>“He is,” Bucky agreed. “And it’s going to get better. Your family are coming today, right?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Tony’s smile widened. “They’ll be here after lunch if Pepper can hold Morgan back that long. She’s got some work to get done for Connections first, but my little girl is a force of nature, so I won’t be surprised if they’re early. She’s eager to see Peter.”</p><p>“He’s eager to see her, too,” Bucky said. “We were talking about her a bit before he decided to pick up the pace. I think he’s still feeling guilty about what happened when she called and reached him, how he reacted.”</p><p>"It was rough on her," Tony said. "But she shook it off once she'd spoken to him properly. That's Morgan. I don't know if it's because she's young or she's just resilient, but she doesn't dwell like her old man."</p><p>Steve shot him a small smile, understanding in his eyes. As did most of them, Steve knew that Tony had a tendency to lock onto the things that went wrong, the things that <em>could</em> go wrong, and that had disastrous consequences before. Still, there was nothing bad to dwell on now.</p><p>Nothing except the fact Ross was still free and in power, unpunished for what he’d done to Peter, but that was a problem Tony would find a solution to. He wanted Ross to pay for what he’d done.  </p><p>When they reached the kitchen, Peter was sitting at the table between Rhodey and Wanda, and conversation was flowing. The difference in the atmosphere now was huge. Peter recovered, happy, so alive, was making them all feel good, and it showed. They were all different with each other, too. Peter’s pain and recovery had made them more than a team—they were a real family now, which Tony loved. He’d gone from his small family group, Pepper and Morgan, Rhodey and Happy, and now there were so many people in his like that he could rely on, that he loved. It felt like a lifetime of waiting to get to this moment.</p><p>“So, what’s the plan for today, bud?” Bucky asked.</p><p>Peter chewed quickly, swallowed his mouthful, and said, “I was hoping I could work on a new suit.” He looked to Tony. “You said you’d been making something, and I had some ideas. Can we?”</p><p>“Definitely,” Tony said.</p><p>He was pleased that Peter wanted a suit now. He wasn’t sure what the change was, if it was the shift in what he’d been through that gave him new desire to be Spider-Man again, or if it was just something he wanted in reserve, but he wasn’t going to question it. He would make Peter the best suit he ever had, tailored to exactly what he wanted, and he would see the day Peter wore it again.</p><p>“I was thinking we could tone it down from the Iron Spider suit,” Peter went on. “Yeah, it’d be good to have another of them in reserve in case it’s needed someday—”</p><p>“Which we hope it won’t,” Steve interjected fervently.</p><p>Peter nodded his agreement. "Yeah, definitely. I'd like something a little more… classic, though. I'd like to feel like the Spider-Man that swung around Queens again, helping the little guy.”</p><p>“Fine by me,” Tony said. “Whatever you want. We’ll fix up something old school style, and then we can get an Iron Spider in reserve.”</p><p>Peter beamed. “Awesome.”</p><p>“I’d like us to put some time into training, too,” Steve said. “I don’t want another mission for us, obviously, but none of us have worked together like that in a long time, and we’re probably rusty at working as a team.”</p><p>Sam leaned back and grinned. “Yeah, we get to see what Peter’s capable of.” He pointed a finger at him. “I want Spider-Man, though, not the Stones. We all saw you in action in Berlin, but it’d be good to fight on your side this time. The whole battle thing with Thanos was kinda an every-man-for-himself fight—"</p><p>“Or woman,” Wanda added.</p><p>“Or woman,” Sam agreed. “But you see my point. We were all fighting to survive and keep the gauntlet out of Thanos’ hands.”</p><p>“I do,” she agreed.</p><p>“I’ll put some time into cleaning up the gym,” Bruce said. “We didn’t really reach that when we were doing housekeeping.”</p><p>“I’ll help,” Peter offered.</p><p>Bruce smiled. “Sure.”</p><p>“We’ve only got the morning, remember,” Tony said. “We’ve got company after lunch.”</p><p>Peter gave a little happy shiver. “Yeah, Mo’s coming.”</p><p>“She is,” Tony said. “And you’re going to need to save some energy, since I can guarantee she’s going to arrive like a kid on a sugar rush, ready to play.”</p><p>Peter beamed. “Don’t worry, I’ll be ready.”</p><p>They ate the rest of their breakfast with companionable conversation around them. Steve, Bucky, and Rhodey refilled their plates when they finished their first serving. Peter gave them a wistful look but didn't go for more.</p><p>Eventually, they all pushed away their empty plates with sated smiles, and then Tony guided Peter into the lab while Wanda and Steve started loading the dishwasher. Bruce and Bucky headed to the gym to prepare it for their session.</p><p>xXx</p><p>Tony leaned against the wall as Peter and Steve faced off against each other. They were circling, Steve surefooted and steady, Peter bouncing on the balls of his feet. Steve had tried to insist that Peter not used his web-shooters, to use actual combat skills, but Peter hadn't wanted to. Tony had pointed out that the point was for them to train as a team for how they would fight on a mission, and Peter would be using his web-shooters for that, but Steve was curious about what Peter was capable of apart from the Stones.</p><p>Rhodey elbowed Tony and muttered, “Pete’s gonna take him down.”</p><p>Tony smirked and nodded. “Definitely.”</p><p>“Cut the chatter,” Steve said curtly.</p><p>Tony huffed a laugh. He’d forgotten that Steve’s enhanced senses were going to pick up what they were saying. Peter had heard, too, and though Tony could not see his face, he was sure he would be beaming.</p><p>As if goaded by Rhodey's words, Steve launched into the attack. He swung a fist at Peter, which made Tony's heart skip as he wasn't pulling his punch, so Peter was going to get his full strength to the jaw.</p><p>Tony evidently wasn’t the only one thinking it as Bucky snapped, “Easy, Steve!”</p><p>But Steve's swing spun through the air as Peter leaned back almost lazily, letting it fly past him. He was smirking as Steve steadied himself again, and Steve gave his head a brisk shake.</p><p>“Your turn for the attack,” he said curtly. “Try not to use your webs. I want to see your strength.”</p><p>“You know, if he uses his full strength, he’s going to knock your head off,” Wanda said lightly. “He lifted a building off himself once. I think that’s beyond what you can do, Steve.”</p><p>Bucky chuckled. “Yeah, but I think he needs to learn the lesson.”</p><p>Peter flexed his hands and then bounced again. Tony watched, enjoying his kid’s happiness, and then a laugh grunted out of him as Peter struck. He flipped over Steve’s head and kicked him in the small of his back. Steve fell forwards, too fast to catch himself, and his face mashed into the mat.</p><p>"I get it now," Bruce said. "He doesn't use hand-to-hand because he could destroy someone if he did. Steve and Bucky are the best people to put him against. If he did this to a mugger on the street, he'd crush bones."</p><p>“He would,” Steve agreed, his voice muffled by the mat.</p><p>Peter stood over Steve as he rolled onto his back with a wince and held up a hand. Peter considered a moment, and Tony thought he saw Peter's finger twitch as if he was going to use his web shooter after all. He didn't, though. He helped Steve up and grinned.</p><p>“Again,” Steve said. </p><p>“You sure?” Peter asked, a gleam in his eyes.</p><p>“Yes. Again.”</p><p>“Boss, Mrs. Stark is arriving,” Friday announced. “She just passed the security checkpoint at the gate.”</p><p>With a whoop, Peter tore off the wraps Steve had insisted he wore to protect his knuckles, tossed them on the floor, and sprinted from the room.</p><p>As he disappeared, laughter rippled over the room, and they all followed.</p><p>“I’m not sure who’s going to be more hyped with this,” Rhodey said. “Morgan or Peter.”</p><p>“My money’s on an even divide,” Bucky said. “Peter’s been waiting for this just as long, and he was the one that saw her at gunpoint all the time he was gone.”</p><p>The mood sobered among them all, and they hurried their pace out of the room slightly.</p><p>When they got outside to where Peter was waiting, they saw his hands twitching at his sides and his feet dancing a little.</p><p>The car appeared at the edge of the lake, and Pepper smiled behind the wheel, Happy beside her and looking disgruntled at being the passenger.</p><p>They came to a halt, and Tony hurried forward to open the door for Morgan. She was fumbling with the seatbelt in her booster seat, and Tony unsnapped it and then stepped back as Morgan barreled into him, no intention of hugging, just determined to get out.</p><p>With a laugh, Tony got out of her way as she climbed out, her eyes darting around, and then falling on Peter. With a squeal of his name, she ran at him and was scooped into Peter’s arms.</p><p>“Mo!” he said loudly. “You’re here!”</p><p>"Petey," she cried. "I missed you. Are you better? Can we play? Can you show me your swinging?"</p><p>Peter laughed. “I am all better; we can definitely play, and I’ll swing as much as you like.”</p><p>She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek against his. </p><p>Peter swung her from side to side, seeming to be relishing their reunion as much as she was. It warmed Tony’s heart to see it, his children together again, and when Pepper wrapped her arms around his back and leaned her chin on his shoulder, he knew she was happy now, too.</p><p>Peter shifted Morgan onto his hip and said, “Look at this.”</p><p>Morgan wriggled excitedly as Peter waved a hand through the air, making a triple rainbow appear.</p><p>“Wow,” she breathed. “So pretty.”</p><p>“It is,” Peter agreed. “Butterflies, too?”</p><p>She nodded eagerly, and a moment later, there was a rush of multicolored butterflies darting around their heads.</p><p>“Morgan,” Pepper called. “You want to give Peter your gift.”</p><p>"Yeah." Morgan wriggled until Peter set her down, and then she ran to her mother and took the teddy Pepper had pulled from her purse. She ran back to Peter and held it out to him. "This is Albert."</p><p>Peter took him, his eyes soft and a little sad, and then he beamed and said, "He's perfect. I love his little suit."</p><p>“It’s his Spider-Albert suit like yours,” she said.</p><p>Peter’s fingers moved over the silk of the suit and the soft fur of its face, restless again, and Tony heard a breath sucked in beside him. He glanced to the side to see Bucky watching with a guarded look on his face.</p><p>Tony understood it. Those movements were familiar to all of them that had been there when Peter was lost to them behind the Stones, and it was a visceral reminder.</p><p>“He’s fine. It’s different,” Steve said quietly.</p><p>“I know,” Bucky replied.</p><p>Peter looked up at them, a small frown on his brow, and then he turned his attention back to Morgan, who was tugging on the hem of his hoodie.</p><p>“What’s wrong?” she asked.</p><p>"Nothing," Peter said, his smile reappearing. "I love Albert. Shall I put him in my room so he's ready for bedtime?"</p><p>“You’ll cuddle him?” she asked delightedly.</p><p>“Absolutely.”</p><p>Morgan grinned. "I have a teddy, too. Sometimes I change because I've got a lot and I don't want anyone to be lonely, but I've got Uncle Rhodey's this week. He's called Benji, and he's so soft and pink. I had him since I was a baby."</p><p>“You know, I heard the story of Benji,” Peter said, taking her hand and leading her to the door. “Rhodey said your daddy went crazy with teddies.”</p><p>They disappeared inside, and everyone followed them in, leaving Tony and Happy outside.</p><p>“He’s doing good,” Happy stated.</p><p>“He’s doing amazing,” Tony corrected. “Really, Hap, if you’d seen him the way he was before, you’d get it. This is the polar opposite of what he was. You know, I’ve never seen him as happy as he is now that he’s got the programming out of his head. It’s like he’s a different person.”</p><p>Happy nodded. "Yeah, I get that. It's good to see it. I always thought he was a happy kid before, he'd talk a mile a minute, and he never seemed to sit still a second, but he's hyped now."</p><p>“All the time,” Tony said. “It’s good.”</p><p>"It is," Happy agreed. "Let's get inside. I want coffee. Hey, your superhero buddies been baking?"</p><p>Tony laughed. “Yeah, cinnamon rolls.”</p><p>Happy rubbed his stomach and walked away. Tony chuckled and then follow, eager to get back to the good feeling of his children again. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It’s Wednesday! <br/>Thank you all so much for joining me in Story III. I noticed there were far fewer hits and people getting in touch on both FFnet and AO3. I’m hoping that’s just because you’re letting the story hit its stride before reading and getting in touch. Those of you that are here, I appreciate you all the more. I know this is a long and winding road I’m taking you on, and that fact you’re still with me means a lot.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Peter was roused by the sound of footsteps and then the shifting on the bed under him. He was still drowsy and felt no threat, so he didn't open his eyes. He just hugged the warm weight against him a little closer and sighed.</p><p>There was a soft chuckle and then a clicking sound. He cracked his eyes open and saw Tony perched on the side of the bed, his phone held up in front of him as he snapped another picture of Peter with Morgan pressed against his chest, her head tucked under his chin.</p><p>“Rise and shine, sleeping beauty,” Tony said with a fond smile.</p><p>Peter yawned and gently removed his embrace from Morgan and sat up.</p><p>“I didn’t mean to fall asleep,” he said. “Were we out long?”</p><p>"Only about an hour, and you didn't have much choice in it. Morgan wanted you as a cuddle buddy for her nap, and once she gets wrapped around you, you're asleep whether you like it or not."</p><p>Peter chuckled. “It was nice. I’ve not shared a bed since I was a kid waking up from a nightmare and being taken to sleep with May and Ben.”</p><p>Tony’s cheeks colored slightly. “That’s not technically true. When you were… you know, I shared the bed with you a few times. That was how we connected with Mind the first time. We were both reaching, whatever that means.”</p><p>Peter wondered if he should be embarrassed that he’d apparently snuggled up with Tony, but he wasn’t. It felt nice even. He was pleased that their relationship had moved past the ‘not there yet’ of hugs to this new closeness. He’d noticed how much more tactile Tony was with him now, and he liked it. He missed May and her casual, gentle touches, as they’d always made him feel a warm surge of affection, and though he’d lost that, he had it with Tony now.</p><p>Bucky was pretty tactile, too. When they sat together, Bucky would be close enough that their shoulders brushed. He was easy with hands on Peter’s shoulders and on the small of his back. It made him wonder what exactly he’d been like when he was ‘gone.’ The Stones had offered to show him some of it, but he’d not felt ready. He would one day, even if only so he could understand what he’d put them through. </p><p>That day was coming, as was the rest of his new mission, but he was not quite ready to leave, so he would wait a little longer, despite the Stones' protests.</p><p>“You want to wake her, or shall I?” Tony asked. “If she sleeps too long, she’ll be awake all night, and Pepper will kill me.”</p><p>Peter chuckled. “I’ll do it.”</p><p>He shifted over and touched Morgan’s warm cheek. “Mo, it’s time to wake up. Rise and shine.”</p><p>Her brow scrunched and her lips pursed. “Sleepy,” she mumbled.</p><p>“I know,” Peter said sympathetically. “But we can’t play if you’re sleeping still?”</p><p>She opened her rich brown eyes and blinked up at him. “What we gonna play?”</p><p>“What do you want to play?”</p><p>She considered a long moment and said, "I want butterflies and eagles and a bug army and swinging."</p><p>Tony huffed a laugh. “That’s a lot of wants, Maguna. Maybe try one at a time.”</p><p>“Butterflies again.”</p><p>Peter spread his arms, and butterflies appeared on the tips of his fingers then flew into the air. Morgan sat up quickly and climbed onto her father's lap as they darted around her. She watched them, enchanted, and said, "Can you make a green one?"</p><p>“I can.” Peter touched the tip of her nose, and when he pulled his hand back, an emerald green butterfly was slowly opening and closing its wings where he’d touched her. She went cross-eyed trying to look at it, and Peter nudged it with his finger to make it fly away and join the others.</p><p>“I like your magic,” Morgan said, her tone the same as if she was commenting on the color of his shoes.</p><p>“And daddy likes yours,” Tony said.</p><p>Morgan beamed at Peter. “I told you Daddy said I had magic that might make you better when you were tired and sad, and then you got better and now you’re <em>all</em> better, so that means my magic <em>really</em>  works?”</p><p>“It does,” Peter said with a nod. “You helped me when I was…” He frowned, trying to find the words to describe how he had been to a child without scaring her. “You made me feel all better,” he said lamely.</p><p>“Good,” she said. “’Cause I missed you lots.”</p><p>Peter stroked her cheek. “I missed you, too, Mo.”</p><p>That was not quite true, he'd missed and lacked nothing when he was gone. He'd been safe and unable to hurt people, which was all that had mattered to him. The people he'd left behind had been the ones that were hurt, and that was something he'd never be able to make up for, even though his only intention had been to do the right thing.</p><p>His experiences with BARF had given him a different look at what he’d done. He’d seen what he always thought of as his greatest mistake, letting Ben die, though the experience, and fixed it, but he couldn’t fix the weeks he’d left the people he loved behind.</p><p>Tony patted Peter’s shoulder, perhaps seeing the shadow of guilt crossing his face, and said, "Come on, you two. If you want to play, you have to get out of bed. Pete, you want to do something about the butterflies, or are they going to flap around for the rest of the day?"</p><p>Peter waved a hand, and the darting colors disappeared as the butterflies vanished into nothing. Morgan pouted a moment, but then quickly rallied and slid off her father's lap and held out an imperious hand to Peter.</p><p>“Come on. I want to see you swinging.”</p><p>“You know, I’ve got something better than that,” Tony said. “Peter’s suit is ready for a test-drive for fit, and you’ve got seen him in it before.”</p><p>Morgan clapped her hands excitedly. “Yay! I want to see Spider-Peter.”</p><p>Peter laughed and said, "Okay. Let me try it on, and I'll meet you outside."</p><p>Morgan darted away, calling to her mother, and Peter and Tony headed to the workshop.</p><p>“It’s not fully functioning yet,” Tony said. “I want to work on it with you so it’s exactly what you want, but I think Morgan would like to see you giving her the full effect of it in the air.”</p><p>Peter nodded. He’d like to be back in the suit, too. He wanted to test it out, see if it felt the same as it did before, and perhaps find if he was ready to follow the Stones’ wishes—and, privately, his own—to head out and explore.</p><p>In the lab, Peter took off his bulky clothes and pulled on the suit. With a clap of his hand on the chest, it shrunk around him, becoming a skintight layer. He bent his knees and stretched to check the fit and found it was perfect.</p><p>Tony was standing with his arms crossed and his eyebrow raised. “Comfy?” he asked.</p><p>Peter nodded eagerly. “It’s perfect.”</p><p>Tony tossed him the mask and said, “Come of then. We’ve got a Maguna monster waiting to see this.”</p><p>Peter put on the mask and then started as he heard a familiar voice. “Hello, Peter.”</p><p>“Karen! Hey! How are you?”</p><p>“I am well. And you are different.”</p><p>Peter laughed at the blunt way she said it. “I am. What exactly are you seeing that I’m not?”</p><p>“There are many things. You seem to have enhancements now that were not there before. And I am sensing a power source within you that did not exist before.”</p><p>"Yeah, figures. Honestly, Karen, it's a long story, and I will fill you in, but there's a monster waiting to see you and me in action."</p><p>“A monster? I do not sense any threats.”</p><p>“Nope, this monster is in the form of a four-year-old ball of energy, so let’s put on a good show.”</p><p>“You ready, Pete?” Tony asked.</p><p>“Yep. I think I’ll take the back way out, though.”</p><p>He left a puzzled Tony watching after him as he went into his bedroom and through the window, then scaled the wall until he was on the roof. He went to the front edge where he could hear Morgan's impatient chatter as she waited for him, and he peered over and said, "Hey, Mo. Want to see something cool?"</p><p>She waved up and him, bouncing on the balls of her feet, and Peter shot a web into the nearest tree and jumped.</p><p>She wanted to see what he could do, and he was going to show her.</p><p>xXx</p><p>“Okay, Pete, get your hands in there and mash it up,” Bucky said. “Really get it all mixed.”</p><p>With a doubtful look, Peter dipped his hands into the bowl of beef, breadcrumbs, and eggs, and started to squeeze it through his fingers. A smile quickly broke over his face, and he said, "Okay, it's gross, but kinda cool."</p><p>Bucky laughed. He was teaching Peter to make meatballs for dinner. Peter had been eager to help out, and Tony’s warnings that it might be a bad idea had gone ignored. Bucky was there to keep an eye on him, and what was the worst that could happen?</p><p>Tony’s friend Happy wandered into the kitchen and came to watch. “Well, kid, I hope you’re better at this than your aunt,” he said.</p><p>“Not usually,” Peter said. “But Bucky won’t let me screw it up too bad.” He tilted his head to the side. “Did May cook for you?”</p><p>Happy chuckled. “She tried, but it didn’t go well. We went out for Thai that night after she set fire to the pan.”</p><p>Peter grinned. “Sounds like May.”</p><p>He seemed to be content talking about his aunt, and as Happy went on, talking about an evening they'd spent at the movies after the snap, in which May had somehow upended the tub of popcorn over the people sitting in front of them, Peter started to laugh.</p><p>Steve came in and started towards the fridge, but he stopped and held up a hand. “Hold on, how come Queens gets to cook and I don’t?”</p><p>“Because you’re a disaster in the kitchen, and Peter’s young enough to learn,” Bucky said easily.</p><p>Peter glanced over his shoulder at Steve and stuck out his tongue. Steve made a face, mock offended, and then laughed as Peter said. “He’s not wrong about the age thing, Brooklyn. You’re way over a century old now, right?”</p><p>Steve crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m younger than Bucky.”</p><p>“By one year,” Bucky said.</p><p>Steve shrugged, pulled open the fridge, and took out the six-pack of beers. “Anyone want one?” he asked.</p><p>“I’ll take one,” Happy said. “One good thing about not being behind the wheel for once is that I get a beer.”</p><p>“Can I get one?” Peter asked, the spark in his eyes making it clear he was just screwing with them.</p><p>Bucky decided to call his bluff. "You know, why not? Steve hand one over."</p><p>Steve raised an eyebrow, and Happy said, "He's sixteen!" incredulously.</p><p>“Relax, Happy,” Peter said. “Technically, I’m twenty-one.”</p><p>“Legally, you’re not,” Happy said. “All the victims of the Blip are back at their ages when they dusted.”</p><p>Peter shrugged. “Then let me start early. Besides, it’s not like I’m going to be able to get drunk with my metabolism.”</p><p>“Have you ever tried?” Steve asked curiously.</p><p>Peter shook his head. “Nope. The only booze I was around was at a couple parties Ned dragged me along to, and it was hard liquor that I didn’t really want to drink. But it’s one beer…”</p><p>He fixed his eyes on Bucky, the rainbow depths wide and pleading, and Happy threw up his arms and said, “Fine, but this is not on me if Tony’s pitches a fit.”</p><p>Peter grinned impishly. “I can take it if he loses his cool. I’ve handled it before. Come on, one beer…”</p><p>Bucky shrugged and handed him a beer. Peter washed his hands and took a sip. He made a face of disgust, and then tipped back his head and glugged it down with all eyes on him. He set down the empty bottle, burped into his hand, and said, “No, I don’t think I like it.”</p><p>Bucky snorted. “It’s an acquired taste sometimes. You’ll get used to it.”</p><p>“Not sure I want to,” Peter said earnestly.</p><p>“Good,” Happy said, crossing his arms over his chest. “You won’t want to be drinking alcohol ever again.”</p><p>Peter washed his hand and looked back to Bucky. "Do I start making them into balls now?"</p><p>Bucky checked the mix in the bowl and said, “Yep. Try to keep them all the same size as we want to cook them evenly, and they’re a lot of us to feed.”</p><p>Peter nodded and took a handful of the mixture and started to roll it into a ball.</p><p>Steve handed Bucky and Happy a beer and then wandered out to deliver the others. Happy sat down at the table and watched as Peter and Bucky worked.</p><p>Bucky wasn’t sure how much Happy knew about what had happened to Peter after he’d been rescued and what the situation with the Stones was now—he wasn’t even sure what the real situation was now himself—but the focused way he watched Peter as he laughed made him think he knew some of it.  </p><p>It was good for Bucky to be doing this with Peter, bonding with him. His fear had been that what they’d built while Peter was absent would be lost, but it was still there. They’d spent a long time outside the night before, watching the sun go down, and Bucky had laughed more than he had since before the war with Steve. He saw a lot of Steve in Peter, that same gentle nature and innocence. Steve had lost some of that since he’d come out of the ice, but Peter still held his, even with the power of the Stones he had now.</p><p>When the meatballs were ready, he put them in the pan to brown and then poured over the tomatoes to cook, moving to stand guard over the stove as Tony’s daughter bounced into the room in search of her brother. Peter scooped her up and carried her to sit with at the table with Happy. While they talked, Peter made small movements with his hands, creating butterflies, dragonflies, and once, a robin, for Morgan to look at. He seemed to be doing it absentmindedly, not really aware of it, but Morgan was enchanted. He wondered how it felt to Peter to be doing it, if there was a certain connection to each Stone. After having spoken to Power and Mind, he found it hard to imagine a connection with either of them, especially Power, who was an asshole.</p><p>Peter seemed happy, though, and that was what Bucky cared about.</p><p>Tony wandered into the room, beer in his hand, and set his hand on Peter’s shoulder. “You having fun, Pete?”</p><p>“I am,” Peter said enthusiastically.</p><p>Tony ruffled his hair, and then his eyes fell on the beer bottle beside Peter. He frowned, then leaned closer to Peter and sniffed. "<em>Why</em>…” he said dramatically, “do you smell of beer?”</p><p>Peter formed his face into an innocent expression, which was more appropriate for Morgan than him, and said, "Well, I might have tried a little to see if I liked the taste in a controlled experiment for my tolerance for alcohol with my metabolism while among adults.”</p><p>Tony stared at him, face stony but eyes amused as he crossed his arms over his chest. “And what did you think?”</p><p>Peter grimaced. “It tasted gross.”</p><p>Tony laughed. “Good. Let that be the end of your experiments with alcohol. You already give me enough grey hairs sober without adding booze into the mix.”</p><p>Peter hugged him and said, “Nope. You don’t need to worry. I know what I’m doing.”</p><p>There was something about the way he said it that made Bucky feel a prickle of unease. It sounded as though there was something else he was planning that didn’t involve his first beer.</p><p>xXx</p><p>Peter and Tony came back into the living area after seeing Pepper, Morgan, and Happy drive away through the lake, and dropped down onto the couch, side by side. Peter rested his head on Tony's shoulder, and Tony reached around and ran a hand through Peter's hair.</p><p>“You tired, Pete?”</p><p>“Exhausted,” Peter said wearily. “It was awesome, though.”</p><p>Rhodey watched them fondly. He enjoyed seeing his best friend interacting with his kid. There was such obvious love there, especially now Tony was allowing himself to show it.</p><p>“You want an early night?” Tony asked.</p><p>Peter sat up and ran a hand over his face. "I kinda do, but I need to talk to you all since I've got to get this done."</p><p>“Get what done?” Rhodey asked, feeling a flicker of unease. </p><p>Peter sighed. “There’s something I need to do with the Stones, and I don’t think you’re going to like it. No, not think—I <em>know</em> you won’t like it.”</p><p>“Then don’t do it,” Tony said bluntly.</p><p>Rhodey stiffened, and the tension in the room ratcheted up, and Bucky tilted his head to the side with a cautious look.</p><p>“What are you thinking, bud?” Bucky asked, voice carefully gentle.</p><p>Peter shot him a grateful smile. “I’ve got to go away for a while. The Stones want me to do it, need me to, and I think I do, too.”</p><p>“Go where,” Tony asked, his voice holding a tightly controlled anger that made Rhodey lean forward and glare at him.</p><p>Peter obviously heard it, too. His face fell, and he ducked his head. "Pretty much everywhere. There's so much I need to see and learn, and I can't do that here?"</p><p>“When you say everywhere…” Steve said leadingly.</p><p>Peter looked up. “The world. Space. Time. Other universes.”</p><p>Rhodey's breath rushed out of him, and he fell back against the couch cushions. Sure, he knew Peter was powerful and that time was a thing for him that could be explored, but the thought of him actually doing it, going to other times and universes, seemed too crazy to imagine. Peter would be alone out there, and that made him feel chilled with fear. But if the Stones wanted it, if Peter did, what could they do? Did they even have a right to object at all?</p><p>“What about Ross?” Tony asked, his teeth gritted. “You won’t be safe with him out there.”</p><p>“He’s not going to find me where I’m going,” Peter said, and there was something in his eyes that made Rhodey think Peter had already considered and planned for that happenstance.</p><p>“How exactly are you going to do it?” Steve asked. “How will it work? Will you need a ship?”</p><p>Peter shook his head. “No, just me and the Stones.”</p><p>Bucky sighed. “That’s going to be pretty intense.”</p><p>“Yeah, it is,” Peter said. “But I can do it. I should do it.”</p><p>Tony took a deep breath and said, “Okay, this is what the Stones want, but you know you can’t do it, right?”</p><p>Peter’s eyes softened, and then he said, "I feel like I have to."</p><p>“You don’t,” Tony stated. “You’re sixteen years old. You can’t just take off into space alone.” He clasped his hands on his lap. “I’m responsible for you now that May’s gone, and I’m not letting you do it.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “No.”</p><p>Peter bit his lip and ducked his head. All other eyes in the room fixed on Tony with varying levels of anger and shock. Rhodey was annoyed that Tony was talking to Peter like this, as if he was a child. He may be young in years, but he’d proven he was a man on the battlefield and everything that had happened since. He had the right to decide for himself.</p><p>Rhodey got to his feet and said, “Tony, come with me.”</p><p>Tony glared up at him. “I’m fine where I am, thanks.”</p><p>Rhodey gave Peter’s bowed head a pointed look and said, “Now, Tony.”</p><p>“No!”</p><p>“It’s okay, Rhodey,” Peter said. “I need some air anyway. I’ll go for a run.”</p><p>He got to his feet and hurried out of the room, the door swinging closed behind him.</p><p>“Okay, Tony.” Rhodey said, keeping his voice measured, “do you know how big you just screwed up?”</p><p>Tony glowered. “He’s not doing it. It’s an insane idea. He’s sixteen, he just got out of a state of catatonia, and he’s still not at full strength and weight. He can’t just run off where we can’t get to him when it goes wrong.”</p><p>"He is sixteen, and he did just come back," Bucky agreed, “but that’s not what’s important. He is at full strength now, and he is at full power with the Stones.”</p><p>Tony turned betrayed eyes on him. “I can’t believe you’re supporting this.”</p><p>“You can’t?” Wanda said skeptically. “I can. I support it, too. Doesn’t everyone really?”</p><p>There were various murmurs of agreement, and Tony glared at them all, and then his eyes fell on Rhodey. "Well?" he snapped. "You think he should do this, too?"</p><p>Rhodey hesitated before answering. “Yes. I don’t want him to do it, I’m just as scared as you are, but I know he can handle it. This is Peter’s choice—his and the Stones.”</p><p>“And like it or not, he’s doing it anyway,” Steve stated. “He doesn’t really have a choice.”</p><p>"Of course, he does!" Tony growled.</p><p>Steve quirked an eyebrow. “You think? He’s got six Infinity Stones in his head, pushing him to do it; one of them is Power, and you know what he’s like. It’s more than that, though. It’s who Queens is. He wants this, too; he said so.”</p><p>Tony snorted and looked away.</p><p>"You don't really have a choice in this, Tone," Rhodey said. "None of us do. Pete's committed, and he's going to do it. You can let him go with your support and the knowledge that you'll be waiting for him when it comes back, or you can let him go off without that and make him less likely to come back.”</p><p>Bucky’s head snapped around. “You don’t think he’d come back?”</p><p>“I think he’d come back eventually, but I want him to come back often. I want to see him as much as I can. But if he’d be coming back to drama and anger, how much time do you think he’s going to spend here?”</p><p>Steve stood and looked out of the window. “He’s not running, Tony. He's just sitting out there. You need to decide what you're doing with this because I think he's hurting right now, and that's not fair after everything he'd been through."</p><p>Tony stared down at his hands fisted on his lap. “I don’t want this.”</p><p>“No, but you don’t get to decide. All you can do is decide how to react to it,” Rhodey said.</p><p>Tony squeezed his eyes closed and then stood, ran a hand through his hair, and marched outside. Rhodey moved quickly to the window and watched as Peter turned cautiously, eyes wary and then relaxing as Tony said something and pulled him into a hug.</p><p>Rhodey turned away from the window, breathing a sigh of relief. He thought this was going to be hard on Tony for Peter to be gone, it was going to be hard on them all really, but Peter did need to do this, and hopefully they’d be able to persuade him to come back often.</p><p>Even if they could, Rhodey was sure they were all going to be in a state of anticipation until they saw him again.</p><p>xXx</p><p>Steve had no idea how this was going to work, how they were supposed to see Peter off, but Rhodey had come out of his bedroom, leaving Peter with Tony, and said they needed to wait outside.</p><p>Steve was kind of reeling from what had happened lately. Only two days before Peter had said he needed to go away, and yesterday had been spent with Peter and Tony working on his suit; this morning, they'd had breakfast together and Peter announced he was ready to leave. It all seemed too fast, too unplanned for it to possibly work. Peter was decided, though, and they’d all given him their support.</p><p>The door opened, and Peter came out, he had a backpack slung over one shoulder and Tony's hand on the other.  He was smiling, looking somehow bigger than before, as if the confidence brimming in his eyes was filling his body, too.</p><p>He held up a hand to them all. “Okay then, I guess this is it,” he said. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, but I don’t know how long it’ll take to get it all done.”</p><p>“You want to tell us what you’ll be doing, Queens?” Steve asked.</p><p>Peter seemed to consider a moment, and then he shook his head. "No, you'll see eventually." He looped his free arm through the strap of his backpack, nodded his head, then said, "One more thing…"</p><p>Steve stared, waiting for him to say something else, and then Peter raised his hands in front of his face as if examining them. Rainbow light rippled over them, dancing around his fingers, and he threw them out at where they were all grouped opposite him. Steve felt the light slam into his chest, and he staggered back a step as warmth rushed over him. He blinked and shook his head to clear it, and then looked around to see they were all doing the same, Peter was watching them with an amused expression.</p><p>“What the hell was that, Peter?” Tony asked.</p><p>Peter grinned. “I call it the Baby Monitor Protocol.”</p><p>Tony's eyes widened, and Rhodey snorted.</p><p>“Okay,” Bruce said slowly. “What exactly does it do?”</p><p>Peter chuckled. “It monitors you.”</p><p>Tony gaped, and Steve opened his mouth to question him further, but Peter was already in action. He took two steps away from them, adjusted the pack on his back, and then gave a small wave. Rainbow light spread over him from his chest to his toes and the tips of his fingers, and then he flew—there was no other word for what happened—into the air in a blaze of light, disappearing into the blue sky.</p><p>“Okay… uh… wow,” Wanda said quietly.</p><p>“Did he just…”</p><p>“Pull a Carol Danvers on us and fly?” Bruce asked. “Yeah, he did.”</p><p>Rhodey ran a hand over his chest. “I guess it makes sense. I mean, he’s got the Stones and…” He shook his head and turned to his friend who was staring at the spot Peter had disappeared with a furrowed brow and glassy eyes. “You okay, Tone?” he asked.</p><p>Tony nodded and looked down. “Yeah, I’m fine.”</p><p>“Peter will be, too, Tony,” Bucky said. “You saw what he’s capable of.”</p><p>“I did,” Tony agreed. “I’m going to pack up my stuff. If Pete’s not here, I might as well head home to Pepper and Morgan.” He walked away, through the front door, shoulders slumped and footsteps heavy.</p><p>“What do we do?” Wanda asked.</p><p>“Well, I’ve got to stay here,” Rhodey said. “I’ve still got an APB on me, thanks to Ross, and I want to be here for when Pete comes back."</p><p>“I’ll stay, too,” Bruce said. “At least a while. We can probably get some stuff done now we’re not focused on Peter, maybe have a part in getting the compound rebuilt. For now, I'm happy here."</p><p>“Me too,” Wanda said.</p><p>Steve looked to Bucky. “What about you?”</p><p>Bucky smirked. "Peter's going to be heading back here when he comes, so I'm going to be here for him." He rubbed his chest. "That whole light show thing, though. Does anyone else feel kinda weird, like your skin's prickling?”</p><p>“Yep,” Rhodey said. “Baby Monitor Protocol.” He snorted. “I’ve got no idea what that means for us, but I figure we’ll find out sooner or later.”</p><p>He gave the sky a glance and then headed inside after his friend.</p><p>Steve ran a hand over his face, which did feel strange, as if a feather was flickering over him, though it was fading now. Somehow, what Peter had done was going to protect them, he thought.</p><p>As he turned and walked back inside, he wondered about Peter—where would he go first, what would he do and who would he see?</p><p>Steve almost wished he could have gone with him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… I am pretty anxious right now. I have no idea what you’ll think about Peter taking off. This serves some of you, I know, as you’ve been waiting for Peter to step up to the power and taking control, which is what he’s doing. He is leaving everyone behind for a while, though. He won’t be away for the entirety of the story, I promise, and I think you’ll really enjoy what he does while he’s gone. We’re going to hear from lots of new characters in this story, so buckle in and try not to judge too harshly. <br/>The Baby Monitor Protocol came from an idea Windify gave me, and I’m afraid it’s going to be a mystery for a long time. I am curious if any of you have guesses of what it might mean, though. If you’ve got theories of what Peter did, let me know.<br/>Until next time…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Birthday SpideyFan!</p><p>I am putting up this chapter early to celebrate her special day—and mine as my birthday is tomorrow—and because I'm going away for the weekend so might not be able to post again.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Maria Hill slid into the booth opposite Fury, and he looked up from the coffee he was stirring. "News?"</p><p>"Nothing," she said. "Stark's AI is still my blocking calls. You?"</p><p>"No. Ross isn't telling Ellis what he's done. There was definitely something as Ellis saw a report that a secret service agent has been listed missing in undercover action, last seen in New York, near Stark's place. Ross wasn't happy when Ellis asked about it, blustered about the facets of power and how he doesn't track every agent on the payroll—as Ellis should know. Ellis says something is going on, though. There's been closed meetings between Ross and security services." He rubbed his jaw. "I'm guessing that Ross made his move, but it failed. If something big had gone down, Stark would have called us in."</p><p>Maria raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"</p><p>"Yes. He loves that kid and would be pulling in help from all sides if something happened to him, including us."</p><p>Maria didn't look convinced, but Fury was sure he was right. He'd seen Stark's dedication to the kid when they'd talked, and if he was in danger, Fury would have known. In a way, he was waiting for the moment that actually happened. It wasn't cruelty, not really, but Stark had a powerful weapon on his hands, and Fury wanted to be part of harnessing it. Also, he wanted the ammunition to get Ross out of power and Ellis in. The country needed steady leadership, and Ross was not the right man for the job.</p><p>The door to the diner opened, and a kid strode in. He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt under a hoodie with sunglasses that were incongruous in the dim dusk light.</p><p>"I'll be damned," he muttered as he recognized the face he'd seen only on grainy video before. "He's here."</p><p>Maria spun around and sucked in a breath.</p><p>Spider-Man came inside, looked around, and then strode over to them. He stopped at the end of their table, took off his glasses, said, "Hi!" and then grabbed a chair and dragged it around to sit with down, both Fury's and Maria's gaze fixed on him.</p><p>"Spider-Man," Fury said, trying to keep his shock from his tone.</p><p>"I prefer Peter," he said. "But if you want to keep it formal, I'll call you… Is it still Director Fury? I know SHIELD is now kinda vague—is it still secret, or have you come out of hiding again? I'm a bit behind on current events, courtesy of being dead for five years. I'll call you Director; it's polite and all." He looked between them, blinking his rainbow eyes innocently. "So… hi."</p><p>"How did you know we were here?" Maria asked while Fury tried to make sense of what was going on. It was an unusual sensation for him; he was usually in command of what was happening around him. There was an exception to that rule, someone that always managed to catch him off guard—Tony Stark—and the kid seemed to have learned from him.</p><p>Peter frowned. "Uh… How to explain it? Hmm… You're spies, right? I'm kinda a spy, too, I guess. Yep. A spy. That works."</p><p>"You spied on us and found us in this specific diner at this specific time?" Fury asked, finding his voice at last.</p><p>"I'm a very good spy, Director."</p><p>Fury examined him, taking in the eyes that he'd only heard about before. They were disconcerting, the swimming colors, and they seemed to hold some inner knowledge that Fury wanted to tap into.</p><p>Before anyone could speak, not that Maria looked like she knew what to say and Fury was still gathering his questions, the waitress appeared at Spider-Man's elbow and said, "What can I get you guys?"</p><p>"I'm fine," Fury said curtly.</p><p>"Coffee," Maria said, shooting her a smile.</p><p>Spider-Man picked up the menu and scanned it quickly then said, "Cheeseburger and double fries, coke and apple pie, please."</p><p>The waitress jotted down the order then looked at Spider-Man, and her eyebrows rose. "I'm sorry, but… your eyes?"</p><p>"Cool, right?" Spider-Man said. "They're contacts. I got them from this seller on eBay who's all about redefining your identity Post-Blip. I mean, I lost five years, so I have good reason to make changes."</p><p>Her confusion became a soft smile, and she placed her hand on his arm. "I was Snapped, too. It's hard to come back, isn't it?"</p><p>Spider-Man nodded. "It really is. But you've got to keep going, haven't you?"</p><p>"You do." She gave his arm a small squeeze and then walked away to pass the order through the hatch."</p><p>Maria stared at Spider-Man a moment and said, "You're not biologically Stark's child, are you?"</p><p>"Nope. Which you already knew. SHIELD would have found out if one of the Avengers had a secret love child. I'm pretty sure you looked into me after you found out what happened, too, so you know who my parents are."</p><p>"We do," Fury said, a hint of menace in his voice.</p><p>He was annoyed that Spider-Man seemed to be enjoying himself at the expense of their unease. From everything he'd learned about Peter Parker's life and seen of what Spider-Man did, he'd expected someone a little more reserved, a kind-hearted kid that happened to have superpowers. This kid was smug.</p><p>Spider-Man nodded and said, "You'll shout me dinner, right? It's not like I'm broke exactly, but, damn, food is expensive, and my money has to last a while. I kinda underestimated how much I cost May on groceries."</p><p>Fury stared at him incredulously. "I'll what?"</p><p>"I'll cover it," Maria said, <em>"if</em> you answer our questions."</p><p>"That sounds like a fair deal. Of course, you'll have no idea if I'm telling the truth, so I can say what I like, but sure, I'll answer."</p><p>Fury glared at him. "Trust me, we'll know if you're lying."</p><p>Spider-Man grinned. "Sure." He leaned back in his seat and said, "Ask away."</p><p>"How did you find us?" Fury asked.</p><p>"I asked," he said. "They answered."</p><p>"Who answered?"</p><p>Spider-Man made a face, almost as if he thought they were being a bit slow. "The<em> Stones</em>. Soul and Mind are able to tap into who I'm looking for, and Space and Power brought me here. Cool, right?"</p><p>"The Infinity Stones brought you here?" Fury asked, eyebrows high.</p><p>"Yep."</p><p>"How?" Maria asked.</p><p>Spider-Man held up a finger. "My turn to talk. I heard what you were saying when you came to the Tool Shed—you want Ross out and Ellis in."</p><p>"We do," Fury said. "And keep your voice down. First lesson in spying—you don't share what you don't want the general public to know."</p><p>Spider-Man nodded and then looked up and smiled as the waitress delivered his soda and Maria's coffee, gave him a fond smile, and walked away again.</p><p>He sipped it and said, his voice slightly lower now, though still enthusiastic. "I want Ross out, too. He did something to me that…" He frowned and shook his head. "It doesn't matter. The point is I am in a position to do something about it now. Obviously, going through the usual political channels isn't going to cut it, so I need your help. If the President disappears, questions are going to be asked, but Space said you might be able to help me with that."</p><p>Fury held up his hand and growled, "Kid, are you seriously talking about kidnapping the President of the United States?"</p><p>"Kidnapping me worked for him, so yeah. I've got to find a place for him, which I'm working on, but I'll have to go see some old friends for it. I can remove him from wherever he is, no matter what security he has—which is going to be crazy intense, I know—and I can take him somewhere, but I need you to cover what comes after."</p><p>Fury and Maria exchanged a glance. Fury knew her well enough to know her thoughts were tracking his on one line—just how crazy was this kid?</p><p>"You don't think I can do it?" he asked with a smirk. "Don't blame you. I wouldn't believe me either, but I <em>can</em> do it. If you stick around long enough for me to finish my meal, I can show you something to backup what I'm saying. Or you could call Tony and ask. I'd rather you didn't, though, since he'll probably try to get involved, and I don't want him to be part of this. He's got too much to lose if it ever comes out what we're doing."</p><p>"You don't think we have something to lose?" Maria asked.</p><p>"I think you've probably got something," Spider-Man said. "I think you've got more than him—" He thumbed at Fury. "But you're also the kinds of people that'll do it anyway. If you don't want to be part of it, that's fine. I can get Ross alone and leave a power vacuum and political scandal to be investigated. That won't be a problem for you, right?"</p><p>Fury felt his blood pressure rising at the kid's obvious pleasure in their reactions. He was actually enjoying this, the little asshole. Fury knew the kid had the upper-hand, and he hated that since that was usually his position. Still, the temptation to believe that this kid might actually be able to do something about Ross was strong, and he didn't feel he had much choice but to trust him if he wanted Ellis back in power.</p><p>He stared at Maria a moment and then gave a curt nod and said, "I know someone that can help cover the disappearance." He shot Maria and said, "Talos."</p><p>She seemed to consider a moment and then nodded. "That could work."</p><p>The waitress returned to deliver Spider-Man's food, which he dug into with enthusiasm, taking a large bite of his burger and making a sound of pleasure.</p><p>Fury looked away from the sight and took out his phone. He opened a text message, planning to write a carefully worded message to Stark, which would be intriguing enough to get through his damn AI, and then closed it down again.</p><p>As little as he liked Stark, he accepted that he owed him and that the world was safer with him a free man. If the kid was serious about what he could do, actually get Ross out of The White House for Fury to replace him with Talos long enough to depose him—and Fury was already plotting the speech that would make that possible—it was a risk.</p><p>Spider-Man began to shovel up his fries eagerly, interspersing them with sips of soda, and then he looked back at Maria and said, "It's your turn for a question."</p><p>Fury spoke before she could, his need more pressing that hers could be. "What are you now, kid? I know you've got the Stones, and that's interesting and all, but you're not human, are you?"</p><p>Spider-Man chewed slowly, swallowed, and said, "Technically, I've not been human since I was bitten by the spider, but now… Nope. Not really human." He narrowed his eyes. "Is that going to be a problem?"</p><p>"I had Romanov recruit a giant green rage monster with a tendency to destroy property and persons for the Avengers as the threat against us was more pressing than the risk he posed. I'm pretty sure you're not as destructive as him, so no, it's not a problem."</p><p>"In that case, no, I'm definitely not human." He picked up his burger and took another bite.</p><p>Fury and Maria averted their eyes from the kid's almost indecent eagerness as he ate, and Fury plotted how he was going to make this new scheme work. Talos would be more than happy to oblige him, he was sure. The real test was whether the kid really could get Ross out and hidden.</p><p>Fury wasn't a man that trusted anyone except for a select few he'd had years to study and test. There was something about this kid, though, his absolute confidence combined with what Fury theorized he was capable of with the Stones that made him think this might work.</p><p>Thirty minutes later, when the kid had eaten the last bite of his apple pie, had accepted the extra money Maria offered him in a rare moment of kindness, they followed him outside and around the diner to a secluded spot with only dumpsters and a sleeping cat for company, he saw something that convinced him his faith was not misplaced.</p><p>"I'll need a week," Spider-Man said. "Get your guy to the Washington Monument at midnight next Saturday, and I'll take it from there. I'll get whatever else you need from Ross to make the plan work before I drop him off."</p><p>"Drop him off where?" Fury asked. "Wakanda?"</p><p>"No way! I wouldn't put T'Challa in that position with the rest of the world leaders. Ross will be safe and hidden. He will not be able to come back, I promise you that."</p><p>"Then where?" Maria asked.</p><p>The kid shrugged. "Not sure yet; I've got specific criteria to meet before I pick a spot." He zipped up his hoodie against the chilly air and said, "See you in a week."</p><p>He stepped away, gave them a cheery wave, and the shot into the sky in a perfect imitation of Danvers.</p><p>Fury stared at the spot in the sky, where the glare of rainbow light he'd created with his flight disappeared, and then huffed a laugh. He thought the kid might actually be able to pull this thing off, and if he did, Fury was going to have more uses for him.</p><p>That kind of power needed to be guided and Fury was the man to do it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… What do you think? I had a lot of fun writing this chapter as I got to show Peter in a new light with the changes the Stones have created. I was also very anxious writing from Fury's POV. I'd love to hear both what you thought of this version of Peter and how Fury's voice came out.</p><p>Until next time…</p><p>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you all soooo much for the support you’re showing me and the series. I had a weekend away from writing, but with each comment and kudos I got, I started itching to be back on the laptop. Really, I cannot say what it means to me to hear from you all. You’re making the process of writing and posting this story a joy. It’s funny to me to think now that I almost didn’t’ post this series on AO3 because I was so intimidated by the quality that’s on here. I am aware these stories don’t match up to what’s available, but knowing that you’re here and kind enough to leave feedback makes me so happy. I would have missed out on you lovely people if Snarks had not persuaded me to take a chance.</p><p>Thank you so much Prongs100 for pre-reading</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Quill opened the compartment and rooted through the bags of food rations, hunting for what he’d been craving for the past fifteen minutes before he’d gathered the motivation to actually get the food.</p><p>It wasn’t there.</p><p>He turned around, arms crossed over his chest. “Okay, assholes, who ate the last chips and dip?”</p><p>Groot looked up from his games console. “I am Groot.”</p><p>“No, <em>I</em> didn't. I was saving it," Quill replied. "I wanted it now, which is why I saved it yesterday!"</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>Quill pointed a finger at him. “Say that one more time, twiglet, and I’ll prune you.”</p><p>Groot blinked at him. “I am Groot.”</p><p>“Big talk from a tree!”</p><p>“You are being annoying again,” Drax informed him dryly. “It is not our fault that Gamora did not wish to stay with us and instead preferred to explore the galaxy with Nebula.”</p><p>“This is not about that”” Quill said, turning his back. “This is about the snack I claimed, printed my name on, being eaten.”</p><p>“I call bullshit,” Rocket said, setting the ship to autopilot and sliding off his seat. “This is exactly about Gamora.”</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>“I am not being a pussy!” Quill shouted. “And don’t pretend you’re not upset, too. I saw the little sap tears when she took off.”</p><p>Rocket rolled his eyes. “Quill, we’re all disappointed, and I know you’re stuck on the whole anger stage of grief, but give it a rest. None of us are the enemy. Besides, there’s no such thing as chips and dip in liquid form. If you want food, we’ll go somewhere and get some. </p><p>Quill grumbled. “Fine. Let’s get food.”</p><p>“You did not object to the mention of grief,” Drax stated. “Does that mean you’re accepting your stupid human stages of mourning?”</p><p>“Fifty-perfect stupid human, thanks, and no, because the five stages of grief are bullshit.”</p><p>Mantis twitched her hands towards him and said, “I could help…”</p><p>Quill stepped back. “Keep your hands to yourself! I don’t need to be told what I’m feeling; I already know. Yeah, Gamora is dead, the <em>real </em>Gamora, and that sucks.” Such a small word for so much pain. “And the other version has taken off, which is easier. Yes, it’s definitely easier since she’s not the real one, and that sucked, too. What I’m upset about right now is the fact some asshole ate my chips and dip. So, yes, I want to go somewhere I can get something good to eat.”</p><p>“Terra?” Rocket suggested, slipping back into the pilot’s seat and taking the controls.</p><p>“A world of no,” Quill said. “That place sucks. Take us to Cloxys-10; they do that great quince dip and the tortilla chips with cinnamon. Oh! And the ribeye smoothie.”</p><p>“I can’t count the number of things wrong with that menu,” Rocket said. “But if it pulls you out of your shitty mood, we'll go there. We are going to Terra after because I want peanut butter cups, and we're almost out of tequila."</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>Rocket spun around and flipped Groot the bird. “Sure, it’s so easy for you <em>snapped </em>people. I was the one left on earth that had to assimilate. Besides, tequila is the creation of the gods—not the gods like Quill’s dad, obviously. It's the work of Thor's kind of god." He snapped his fingers. "We should go see him, too. I want to know what he's been doing since the epic purple asshole smackdown.”</p><p>“I wonder if he is still circular around the middle,” Drax said thoughtfully. </p><p>Rocket shrugged as he dropped back into his seat behind the controls. “Probably. I think it’s a good look on him.”</p><p>“Sure, sure, you’re in love with him, we all know that,” Quill grumbled.</p><p>Rocket got his revenge by jerking the ship and making Quill stumble and fall into a seat.</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>Rocket laughed. “Takes one to know one, Groot.</p><p>“I think you are both idiots,” Drax said.</p><p>“I do, too,” Mantis said. “But I am very fond of you both.”</p><p>Quill pressed a hand to his forehead. Sure, he missed Gamora for many reasons—both versions, though he would not admit that to anyone—but one of them was that she would share a glance with him when Groot and Rocket started diverging into their crap and he wouldn’t feel like the only sane one on the ship.</p><p>But she was gone. He was alone with them. He had to suck it up and deal since it wasn’t changing anytime soon.</p><p>xXx</p><p>Quill shifted from foot to foot as the queue advanced frustratingly slowly. He felt someone slip in behind him, but he didn't turn back. His stomach was twisting with hunger, and he didn't want to get into a conversation with a chatty Cloxylite while he waited for his food.</p><p>When he was finally at the front of the line, he stepped up to the counter and said, “Chips, large, the yellow dip and an extra-large house smoothie."</p><p>“Ooh, sounds good,” the voice behind him said cheerfully. “I’ll take two of each of the same. He’s paying.”</p><p>Quill spun around and saw a kid with rainbow eyes grinning up at him.</p><p>“Hey, Star-Lord. How’s it going?”</p><p>Quill was puzzled for a minute, thrown off by the eyes, and then he recognized him. “Spider-Kid?”</p><p>The kid shrugged. “Sure, that works, but I prefer Peter.”</p><p>Quill narrowed his eyes. “Peter, yeah, I remember now. You can keep calling me Star-Lord.”</p><p>Peter grinned again. “Hey, would you mind paying for my lunch for me, Mr. Star-Lord? I didn’t exactly think of galaxy-wide currency when I took off, and I am still trying to gain some weight back. I’ll make it worth your while, I promise.”</p><p>Quill considered him for a moment. "Sure. Why not. You saved the universe that one time, so I figure I can shout you a meal." He nodded to the orange-skinned girl at the register and said, "I'm getting his, too."</p><p>She rang up the sale and then nodded to the collection point.</p><p>Quill moved along, and the kid followed.</p><p>“So,” Peter said. “How’ve you been?”</p><p>Quill shrugged. "Well… My girl was murdered by a purple asshole with a ball sack for a chin, and then I was dead for five years. I came back, and my girl was <em>kinda </em>back, but it turns out she’d rather take off with her sister and leave me with the idiots I call my family. You? I saw you being carried off the battlefield by Captain Spangles—looking half-dead by the way—and then we took off before hearing there was any news about you. I figured it was odds on you were dead."</p><p>“Nope, not dead,” he said happily. "Seriously messed up hand, which was fixed by some insane bioengineering, and then someone tried to kill me, which sucked.” He ran a hand through his hair. “And then I guess I was kidnapped—though I’m not sure if it counts as kidnapping when you go willingly—followed by some brainwashing and five weeks of catatonia. Then I broke the programming, did something kinda cool with… Never mind. And now I’m here.”</p><p>Quill blinked at him. “Okay, I don’t even know where to start unpacking all of that, so I don’t think I’ll bother. What’s with the eyes, though?”</p><p>“Long story,” Peter said. “And people tend to have polar opinions on it. I think I’ll do the smart thing and keep my mouth shut this time.”</p><p>“A longer story than the one you just told me?” Quill asked.</p><p>“Yep.”</p><p>“Order thirteen-x ready,” a voice announced.</p><p>Quill grabbed his tray and nodded to the second—twice as loaded up—and said, "Grab yours, but if you decide to sit with me, we're eating before you start talking again."</p><p>Peter shrugged. "Sounds good to me. I am starving. I got an eggplant breakfast sandwich when I rescued some kind of pink ferrety thing when it got away from its owner and ran into the road, but that was hours ago. While we’re on the subject, who puts a leash on a pink ferrety thing and takes it for a walk?”</p><p>Quill took a table outside under the dual green suns and picked up a chip. With a pointed look at the kid, he dunked it in the dip and popped it into his mouth.</p><p>“Oh, yeah, no talking,” Peter said. “Got it.”</p><p>He dunked his own chip, took a bite, and said, "Whoa, is this supposed to taste sour, or has it gone off? And is that cinnamon in the chips?" He grimaced and took a sip of smoothie, and then his eyes widened. "Hey, is that pot roast?”</p><p>Quill shrugged. “I think it’s more like quality ribeye, but pot roast works. And since I paid for it, you’re eating it all.”</p><p>Peter considered a moment and then dove in, stuffing the food in like he'd not eaten for weeks, interspersing it with sips of smoothie that he seemed to be coming around to the taste of.</p><p>Quill devoured his, enjoying the peace, until four people slammed themselves into seats around them and looked from face to face.</p><p>“Oh, it is the spider child,” Mantis said delightedly, clapping her hands. “Hello.”</p><p>“Hey… Mantis, right?” Peter asked.</p><p>She beamed. “You remembered!”</p><p>Peter grinned. "And Drax, hey, man, and… I don't know you two. I saw you fighting, of course, nice branches, dude, and that was a huge gun, man."</p><p>Rocket looked pleased, and Groot made his standard greeting and followed on with a statement and question insensible to anyone unfamiliar with his limited vocabulary.</p><p>“Groot, huh? Cool name. Nice to meet you, too,” Peter said. “And yeah, the eyes are weird, but I’m getting used to them.” </p><p>Quill dropped his chip. “You speak Groot?”</p><p>Peter huffed a laugh. “Well, one of them does, and they must have passed on the knowledge to me. How are you doing, Groot?”</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>Peter ducked his head. “That’s great. As for the ‘which one of what’ thing, that’s a long story, and I’m not technically supposed to talk until I’m done eating, so…” He looked apologetic and dove into his chips again.</p><p>“Nice evasion tactics,” Rocket said approvingly.  </p><p>Peter grinned and took a sip of his smoothie.</p><p>Mantis watched them eat, her eyes moving between then, and Drax examined his fingernails. Groot pulled out his handheld console and started playing, the beeps and bops of the game, joining the slurping and crunching.</p><p>When Quill finished, he waited while Peter demolished the rest of his meal, which didn't take long considering its size, then pushed his tray away and rubbed his stomach. "That was great," he said. "Thanks. I owe you one."</p><p>“Yeah,” Quil said. “You do.”</p><p>“And I’m about to owe you another one,” Peter said. “Which I’ll totally deliver on, I swear. I need a planet.”</p><p>“Sick of Teran?” Quill asked. “I can relate.”</p><p>Peter shook his head quickly. "No, definitely not, but there's things to do before I can go back properly. What I need is a planet, a nice isolated one that's not too comfy but has all the basics needed to survive. Bonus points if it’s lonely.”</p><p>“Gryn Fylds,” Drax said. “It seems to fit your requirements.”</p><p>Peter frowned. “I don’t know. It sounds kinda nice for the person I’m sticking there. He really is an asshole.”</p><p>“It’s not nice.” Quill grinned. “I mean, yeah, the name gives away the terrain, green fields, but unless you like goats and mosquitoes that can literally drain you dry unless you coat yourself in goat manure—which there’s plenty of—it’s pretty much a hell hole.”</p><p>Peter started to laugh. “That sounds perfect. And there’s fresh water?”</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>Peter considered. “Maybe not fresh-fresh, but if it can’t kill him…”</p><p>“It won’t,” Rocket said. “But we can’t guarantee it won’t give him the world’s worst stomach flu.”</p><p>Peter gave a truly evil grin. “Yep. Perfect. Where is it?”</p><p>Quill raised an eyebrow. “You want a map or a ride?”</p><p>“No, the closest wormhole will do.”</p><p>“3518-P,” Quill said, lips quirked with amusement. “But you can’t seriously think you’re going to find it, even if you have a ship—which I’m guessing you do since you’re here. We can help you out, kid.”</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>Quill rolled his eyes. “Yes, I know, but he helped us out and saved the universe—including all of us. I don’t think buying him lunch is enough of a payback for that.”</p><p>"Aww, thanks," Peter said. "But seriously, I've got it. I'll see you again, though, since there's something I can do for you. I'd do it now, but I'm kinda limited on time. There's a plan in place that I've got to get back for." He got to his feet and waved a hand. "Nice seeing you all again."</p><p>Quill watched him go, striding through the crowds, and he thought about following him, checking out his ship for himself, but he blinked, and then Peter was gone.</p><p>“Uh… what the hell? Where did he go?”</p><p>“He vanished,” Rocket said, his voice awed. “Damn.”</p><p>“He can’t have just vanished,” Quill said. “That’s impossible.”</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>“Then you saw it wrong,” Quill said.</p><p>“He didn’t,” Drax said. “One moment the spider child was walking, the next he had disappeared. He must be some kind of wizard.”</p><p>"Or he's got tech I've never seen before," Rocket said. "Damn, that kid better come back. I want to know what he's got, and I want to steal it."</p><p>“We’re not stealing from Spider-Kid,” Quill said.</p><p>Stunned eyes fell on him.</p><p>“Why not?” Mantis asked.</p><p>Quill shrugged. “He saved our lives.”</p><p>It was more than that, though he’d never admit it. He kinda liked the Spider-Kid. He was brave and kinda funny in a hyped-on-sugar way.</p><p>Besides, he wanted to know what the kid could do for him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… What do you think of Peter in space? Quill was tough to write, but I’d done that before as Power. Drax was terrible, I know, but I tried my best, and I'm sorry. Prongs and Snarks agreed that he sucked, but he’s one of those characters whose voice I can’t find. I really am sorry.<br/>We’ll see Ned next, which was another tough write as he’s got a distinctive voice, too. What do you think of the planet Peter’s got lined up for Ross? Does it sound bad enough for what he did?<br/>Until next time…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Saturday You Wonderful People!!!<br/>Thank you all so much for reading, leaving comments and kudos. Hearing that you’re enjoying the stories means so much to me. Story IV is currently kicking my ass, so knowing you’re waiting is driving me to keep pushing through to write. Snarks spotted that I had missed some comments in my replies. I’m not sure how as I reply from the email, but if you left a comment and didn’t get a reply, I am so sorry. Know that I appreciate you all and that you’re making the journey of writing this series a wonderful one.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ned, honey, I made you a snack,” his mother called from the kitchen as Ned passed on his way out of the bathroom.</p><p>“Not hungry, mom,” he muttered, continuing onto his bedroom.</p><p>She caught his arm before he reached the door, and pulled him to a stop. He allowed himself to be turned, and his mother’s warm hands cupped his cheeks. “Talk to me, Neddie. What’s troubling you?”</p><p>Ned shrugged. “Nothing. I guess I’m just bored. I wish we could go back to school already.”</p><p>The schools weren’t ready to accept the students returned after the Blip—what with half the teachers snapped, too, so struggling to settle back into life and in no position to be teaching— so Ned had months until he’d be back at Midtown.</p><p>With nothing else to do, he spent his days doing online homeschooling that had been set up for them all, which was laughably basic for STEM students, and playing Minecraft. They weren't going back until summer, and Ned had nothing to occupy him apart from seeing MJ, who was busy protesting the treatment of the Returned. Ned would have gone with her, but his mother didn’t want him going as far as Washington DC to carry a placard when the last time they’d been apart for more than an hour aliens had descended and they’d both been snapped away for five years.</p><p>Yeah, it was going to take a while before his parents relaxed and let him get back to life.</p><p>“You miss Peter,” his mother sighed.</p><p>Ned shrugged. “Yeah. Kinda.”</p><p>She stroked his cheek and said, “I understand it’s hard for you to be away from him. You were always so close. But you said he’s with a good family now.”</p><p>“He is,” Ned said, enthusiasm leaking into his voice. “They’re great.”</p><p>He didn’t think there were many people better for Peter to be with that the Avengers since Peter was an Avenger now, too. He’d not told Ned much of what had happened apart from the battle he’d fought in, and he’d not explained the eyes at all—which Ned needed answers about because <em>rainbows</em>!</p><p>“You’ll see him soon,” she said. “We’ll work something out. Maybe I can talk to his new parents and arrange for him to come to stay here for a weekend."</p><p>Ned didn’t think that was likely. The idea of his mom talking to Tony Stark and arranging a sleepover for Peter was crazy enough, but the fact Peter couldn’t even tell him where he was meant it was even more doubtful he’d be able to come stay.</p><p>Ned didn’t even know what was happening to his friend now, though he suspected it was bad. The last real text he got from Peter was over two months ago, and it had been a goodnight when Ned finally got too tired to see the words on the screen. He’d expected to hear from him the next day, but there’d been nothing until a few days ago when he’d sent a brief apology for disappearing and a promise that he’d be in touch. There was no timeframe for that promise to be delivered on, and Ned was struggling with it. Obviously, Peter had big things going on—like living with superheroes, <em>being</em> a superhero, and having crazy rainbow eyes—but he was Ned's best friend, and Ned missed him.</p><p>“Yeah, maybe,” he muttered. “I’ll ask him about it next time he calls.”</p><p>"Good." She ducked back into the kitchen and came back with a large bowl of popcorn, which she thrust into his arms and said, “It’s sugar and cinnamon, your favorite. Eat up. You didn’t have enough at dinner.”</p><p>Ned shot her a smile. “Thanks, Mom.”</p><p>She smiled at him, and he carried on into his bedroom, kicked the door closed behind him, and then stopped dead, his fingers loosening on the bowl. It slipped and began its descent to the floor but was caught by the enhanced speed and skills of his best friend who snatched it before more than a few pieces had spilled.</p><p>Peter set it on Ned's desk beside his laptop on which Minecraft was paused and then turned back to Ned with a sheepish smile. “Hey.”</p><p>“Peter?” Ned whispered. “Peter!” His voice rose to a shout and Peter clapped his hand over his mouth as his last exclamation of his name came garbled but still loud enough to be heard by his mother who knocked on the door and said, “Ned, you okay?”</p><p>In an instant, Peter had lowered his hand and leaped onto the ceiling, where he clung on by his heels and the tips of his fingers and winked.</p><p>Ned blinked up at him, and then, when his mother knocked again and started to open the door, Ned snapped into action. He opened the door a few inches and pressed his face into the gap. “Yeah, Mom, I’m fine. I stepped on a piece of Lego.”</p><p>She smiled fondly. “Then perhaps that is a sign you need to tidy your room.”</p><p>Ned nodded eagerly. “Yes, absolutely. I’ll do that straight away.”</p><p>She laughed softly and turned and went back towards the living room.</p><p>Ned snapped the door closed and wedged a chair under it to keep it closed—his mom wouldn’t let him put a lock on his door before his eighteenth birthday, when he was, in the eyes of the law but not his mother, an adult. She said he wouldn’t be an adult until he gave her a grandchild, but that wasn’t supposed to happen until he was thirty and married. All in all, Ned was doomed to an unlocked door and curfew until college.</p><p>He turned back and watched as Peter dropped from the ceiling and landed in on the balls of his feet. For a moment, silence reigned between then and then Peter ran a hand through his hair—longer than when Ned had last seen it—and smiled.</p><p>“Dude,” Ned said, careful to keep his voice too low to be heard outside the door. “Dude!”</p><p>“Dude,” Peter agreed with a grin.</p><p>With exclamations of joy, they threw their arms around each other in unison. Ned might have bounced a little, and Peter might have lifted Ned a few inches from the ground. When they parted, Ned held out his hand, and Peter took it. They performed their convoluted handshake that they'd come up with on their second day at Midtown, when they'd decided that, yes, they had found their soulmate in school.  </p><p>Ned clapped his hands on Peter’s shoulders and said, “Dude, I need to hear everything. And I mean everything. Like where you’ve been, why I didn’t hear from you for two months, and what the hell is with your eyes! Do all the Avengers have eyes like that now? Is it something to do with the battle, like a side effect?”</p><p>Peter shook his head. “I will tell you it all, I promise. I’m sorry for ghosting on you, but I have a really good excuse.” His eyes darted to the bowl of popcorn. “Can I eat while I do it?”</p><p>Ned got a good look at him now and noted that Peter was a lot thinner than he’d been when they’d ridden the school bus the morning everything went to hell. He looked almost unhealthy.</p><p>“Sure, go ahead,” he said.</p><p>Peter grabbed the bowl and sat on Ned's twin bed, his legs crossed in front of him, and the bowl sitting between, then he grabbed a handful and stuffed it into his mouth.</p><p>He’d eaten four handfuls in quick succession before he stopped and said, “Okay. I don’t know where to start.”</p><p>“Why did you ghost on me?” Ned asked, unable to keep the note of resentment from his voice.</p><p>Peter looked a little guilty as he answered. "Well, for the first three weeks, I was being held prisoner on The Raft by an evil Wakandan and President Ross, and then I was kinda catatonic for a while.”</p><p>Ned’s mouth dropped open. He wasn’t sure which was more shocking. Being held prisoner by the President, yeah, that was crazy but also a very Peter Parker thing to happen—the odds about equal as being bitten by a radioactive spider. Catatonic though…</p><p>He'd seen that on one of his mother's soaps—which he only watched to keep her company and not because he was invested in the storylines that lined up so that as soon as you got a resolution for one and thought you could stop watching they brought in a new one and you were hooked all over again.</p><p>Had Peter been like Ricardo, who just sat and stared into space while they tried all those experimental treatments to save him, but it was really a kiss from Meredith that he needed? Who had kissed Peter?</p><p>He huffed a laugh and shook his head. His mother always said he had an overactive imagination.</p><p>He decided on starting with the question he was more curious about. “You were really catatonic?”</p><p>"Yes, completely checked out for five weeks. Fed by a tube and all other… <em>needs</em> dealt with by the Avengers, which is, yes, humiliating, but it sure takes away any remaining awe you feel for Captain America when you know he took you to the bathroom."</p><p>Ned goggled at him. “Dude.”</p><p>Peter nodded seriously. “Dude.” </p><p>“And you were kidnapped by the President.”</p><p>Peter seemed to be considering something. He chewed on his bottom lip and then nodded and said, “Yeah. He wanted something from me.”</p><p>“Because you’re Spider-Man?”</p><p>Peter stuffed another handful of popcorn in his mouth, chewed hard, and then swallowed and said, “Can you keep a secret?”</p><p>"Dude! I can't believe you're asking me that. Like I didn't keep Spider-Man a secret for a year? And, yeah, I guess I almost slipped a few times, and there was that whole thing about me saying you knew him, which complicated things a little, but that was about me getting you in with Liz, and you've got to bend the rules when true love is involved, and…” He broke off, panting, and said, “Okay, yeah, but I can keep a secret now, Peter, I promise. And if you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’m going to lose my mind because, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but your eyes look like a damn rainbow!”</p><p>Peter took another handful of popcorn and then set the bowl down on the floor and pointed a hand at it. Nothing happened for a moment, and then a kaleidoscope of light spread from his fingers, and the popcorn began to levitate from the bowl. It formed into a column and then began to spin like a miniature tornado, sugar and cinnamon dust scattering around it.</p><p>“Whoa,” Ned whispered. “Dude.”</p><p>Peter lowered his hand, and the popcorn settled back into the bowl, which Peter picked up and began to eat again.</p><p>“How did you do that?” Ned asked.</p><p>Peter swallowed and said, “How much do you know about Thanos and the Snap?”</p><p>“I heard that there were these things, stones, that he had to collect and there was fighting in Wakanda to stop him, but he got them all and…” he shrugged. “He snapped us all away.”</p><p>“Exactly,” Peter said. “The Infinity Stones. After the remaining Avengers got the Stones out of time and recreated the Snap to bring us all back. Thanos, from a previous point in time, brought an army through, and we had to fight him. He wanted to get the Stones again to wipe everyone out, and we were all trying to keep them away from him. They were in this gauntlet that we were basically playing hot potato with, everyone taking a turn and passing it on, but then I got it and…” His face became solemn. “I put it on and snapped, Ned.”</p><p>Ned's mouth dropped open, and he goggled at his best friend. “You put the… Then you… Dude!”</p><p>Peter chuckled. “Yeah. When I did, all the enemy were dusted like we’d been. I didn’t know about that until after as I was well and truly out after the snap, but they told me. Anyway, the Stones decided I was ‘Worthy’”—he rolled his eyes—“and they became part of me. That’s why my eyes are like this. The Stones are actually in me. That’s why I can do all this stuff.”</p><p>“Like levitate popcorn?” Ned said stupidly.</p><p>Peter laughed. “Like levitate popcorn, and alter reality, fly, teleport, move through time and space, visit the Soul Plane and… Honestly, Ned, I’m not sure there’s much I can’t do anymore.”</p><p>Ned just stared at him for a full three minutes while Peter munched popcorn and stared at the floor. He seemed uncomfortable, and Ned knew he should say something, but his mind was well and truly blown.</p><p>Sure, he thought Peter being Spider-Man was epic, and it was, but then he was actually fighting with the Avengers, which was <em>beyond</em> epic, and now… He was way more than a superhero. He was like… “A god.”</p><p>Peter looked up. “Huh?”</p><p>“You’re like a god, Peter!”</p><p>Peter shook his head jerkily, and when Ned started to argue, he clapped his hand over his mouth and said, "No. I mean, yeah, I get what you're saying, but no! I'm just Peter with too much power. Let's not make it weird."</p><p>“Dude, you just told me you can move through time and space. I don’t want to disappoint you, but this is already weird.”</p><p>Peter ducked his head and stuffed in another handful of popcorn. “Maybe, but still, god is too far. Thor is a god, and he’s not happy with me right now, so he definitely wouldn’t like the comparison at all.”</p><p>“Thor’s not happy with you?”</p><p>Peter shrugged one shoulder, but Ned could see the pain in the drooped corners of his lips. "He thought I should have been killed when they worked out that I had the Stones. He saw what Thanos did, and I guess he thought I’d been too powerful, dangerous. I’m definitely too powerful, but I don’t think I’m dangerous. I don’t think the Stones would let me be if I wanted. They shut down when I was a risk after…” He stuffed in more popcorn and mumbled, "I'm not a threat."</p><p>Ned nudged his shoulder with a fist. “I know that, dumbass. You’re Peter. A superpowered superhero Peter, sure, but still you—good.”</p><p>Peter grinned. “Thanks, Ned. I needed to hear that. Tony wasn’t happy when I took off, though he tried to hide it in the end, but there’s things I need to do. People that needed to be stopped and others that needed to be helped.”</p><p>“Like what? Who?”</p><p>Peter smiled slightly and then said, So, I was thinking we could watch Empire. I’ve got a few hours before I need to take off again.”</p><p>Ned stared at him, knowing the answer in Peter’s diverting response, and his heart jumped. Peter Parker, his best friend, really was a god. Spider-Man had been amazing, but he was like a real All-American Hero now, like Captain America. No, better. Peter was way cooler than him. And he was Ned’s best friend.</p><p>Damn, life was crazy.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… What did you think of Ned? This was actually the first scene I wrote for this story because I wrote out of order. I planned all the scenes I wanted in a timeline and then picked out the ones that excited me. It turned out that was all the outsider POVs like Fury and Ned that I wrote first. When they were all done, I came back to familiar family characters, which was actually a challenge. I had to read With Great Power and Hold on a Second Longer again to get back in their headspace.<br/>Until next time…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yep, it’s Monday. Yep, I’m updating. Am I going to regret this in a few weeks when I;m running out of chapters and Story IV isn’t written? Probably. Still, I have no impulse control and I feel like sharing. If there’s someone I can blame for my lack of resistane it’s Rjcarreno77 because they came to me with questions about what’s coming and I was able to give a reply which I think will make them very happy because I’m delivering on everything they asked for in this story. Yep, that feels damn good.  <br/>Something else that feels good is that I had a breakthrough with Story IV. It’s been the loosest idea of the series so far, just a theme I wanted to follow and a few goals, but I finally have a clear plan so hopefully writing will be easier in future. This shouldn’t’ be a problem with Story V as that idea is well formed and very exciting to me. <br/>Anyway… I’m done rambling. Enjoy your bonus update and let it be the opener to a great week xxx</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Thaddeus Ross, President of the United States on America, was not sleeping peacefully.</p><p>Since The Asset had been rescued from the Raft, he'd started taking sleeping pills at night. He'd ensured the information remained classified, not wanting voters to know he wasn’t at peak health, but he needed them. Without, he laid awake until the dawn, leaving shadows under his eyes and his face wan, needing careful attention from his make-up artist before press briefings. So, he’d had his personal physician get him the pills, and he spent his nights in a drugged haze, which wasn't always banished by morning. </p><p>Still, he needed them.</p><p>He was waiting. It had been six weeks since The Raft had been breached by the Avengers, the guards manning it all knocked unconscious and waking with vague memories of what had happened. Some of them claimed that King T'Challa of Wakanda was part of the rescue party, which worried Ross more than the fact the Avengers had been. He could deal with them, he was President, but if the leader of a respected country announced what had happened, people might believe it. Ross' first order had been for the security tapes to be wiped, but they already had been. He assumed that had been done by the Avengers and that they'd made copies first.</p><p>There wasn't much to incriminate him. The camera in the room where they'd worked on The Asset had been disabled, so none of Ross' time there was evidenced, and he could excuse his appearance on The Raft as a matter of security, which should be believed. The only people on The Raft that had seen The Asset were Thuri and two select guards whom he trusted. No one else knew he'd been there and what had happened to him. The odds were stacked in his favor, but still, T'Challa was respected…</p><p>He was tugged from his stupor by something jabbing into his chest. He tried to brush it away, but it was persistent, the jabs becoming harder and painful.</p><p>He forced his sluggish eyes open and then blinked three times in rapid succession to dispel the hallucination in front of him.</p><p>“Hello, Mister President.”</p><p>“Asset?”</p><p>The Asset lips quirked into a smile, not diminishing the hatred in his eyes. "From you, I'd prefer Spider-Man, but I'm not going to waste time arguing the point. We've got a lot to do tonight. After all, what is in a name?" He tilted his head to the side. "Don't recognize the quote? I guess Shakespeare isn't required reading for a president. It was at my school—Midtown School of Science and Technology in case you were wondering. Or maybe you already know. I guess you did your research on me before you kidnapped me. I miss school.”</p><p>Ross licked his lips and felt the fog clearing as the ludicrousness of the situation settled over him—and the danger.</p><p>The Asset went on thoughtfully. "I thought I'd graduate with my friends and go to college. I don't see that happening anymore. I'm sure you can relate. You thought you would have your two eight years of power and then retire to live a happy life." He frowned. "Or did you maybe think you could squeeze out a couple more terms when you had me? I guess harnessing the world's most powerful weapon might have been worth changing the Twenty-Second Amendment. I mean, if you’ve got the most powerful weapon in the world and one man with his hand on the trigger, you want that man in power, am I right? But still, you’ve got to know that’s over now, what with me in your bedroom and in no way under your control.”</p><p>“You have to know you will die if you hurt me,” Ross said. “You cannot breach The White House and get away, especially not if you attack the President himself.”</p><p>The Asset laughed. “You think your security is a match for me? You think they even know I’m here?”</p><p>Ross nodded. “You have no comprehension of the kind of security we have.”</p><p>“And you have no idea the kind of power I have. We’re not even in The White House right now. This room and the suite attached have been removed from reality. You can call for all the security you like, but no one is going to come.” He gave a short laugh. “I’ll help you out.” His voice rose to a shout. “Help! The President is about to be kidnapped!”</p><p>Ross sucked in a breath, and then his inner confidence took over. The Asset was unimaginably powerful, he knew, but even he had his limits if he was not willing to kill—and everything Ross had learned about him was that Spider-Man did not kill.</p><p>“I think you’re overplaying your hand,” Ross said. “If you came to kill me, I would believe it was possible given that you have made it this far, but you cannot hope to get me out of this building alive.”</p><p>The Asset quirked a brow. “You didn’t listen to the whole outside-reality part, did you?”</p><p>Ross’ heart picked up, but he kept his voice steady. “I think even you have limits. Where do you plan to take me on the unlikely occurrence you can kidnap me? Wakanda? You know there are people aware of your connection to the place. I do not believe King T’Challa will be willing to harbor you and hold me captive in his country with what the rest of the world will do to them.”</p><p>The Asset looked genuinely surprised. “You really think I’d drag T’Challa into this? No. I’m not that stupid or selfish. I’ve got somewhere way better than that to put you. You like goats, right?”</p><p>“Goats?” Ross said stupidly, cursing the desertion of his usual control and poise that had brought him to the most powerful position in the world.</p><p>“Yep. I hear they’re really useful for the mosquitoes.” He stepped back and clapped his hands. “I think we’re done talking. Let’s get you out of here and settled in your new home.”</p><p>He moved to the door that led into the palatial attached bathroom and opened it.</p><p>“You’ve finished enjoying yourself?” a deep male voice said.</p><p>“Not even started,” The Asset said happily. “But we should move on. Come see the President. He wears the nicest silk pajamas I’ve ever seen. You’re going to need a pair for the replacement.”</p><p>The word replacement made Ross' heart speed, and then it lurched and became a frantic pounding against his ribs as The Asset stepped back, and a man came into the room. Ross recognized him, famous as he was to people in the know and his security briefings having come across Ross' desk in the Oval Office every day. He scrambled out of bed, edging away from The Asset and Nick Fury, his hands clenching and relaxing. </p><p>“Director Fury,” he said weakly. “What are you doing here?”</p><p>The Asset huffed a laugh. “So, you get a real name, but I’m ‘Asset’? How is that fair?”</p><p>“Priorities, Spider-Man,” Fury said, then peered back into the bathroom and said, “Come on then.”</p><p>A second person—though was person the right word?—walked into the room, and Ross' mouth dropped open.   They had green, ridged skin and large ears that rose into sharp points. Ross wasn’t sure, but he thought it was a male.  </p><p>The Asset waved a hand and said, “Talos, this is President Thaddeus Ross. Mr. President, this is your replacement.”</p><p>Ross huffed an automatic laugh. “You can’t seriously think <em>that</em> is going to replace me? The people will not stand for it.”</p><p>Talos smirked. “You have no idea.” He turned to The Asset. “I need the information.”</p><p>The Asset nodded. "Sure." His tone became confiding. "Mr. President, who else knows about me and what you did?"</p><p>Ross laughed again. “You cannot think I’ll tell you.”</p><p>The Asset looked back to Talos. “Got it?”</p><p>Talos nodded. “I have a comprehensive list. He thinks fast”</p><p>“Awesome,” The Asset said.</p><p>The Asset began to whistle a tune, and Fury shot him an annoyed glance. Ross decided it was time to take control of the situation. He took a step forward, head held high. He expected to be attacked by The Asset, but he merely watched him. Fury, however, withdrew a handgun and pointed it at Ross with a look in his eyes that Ross thought was supposed to be menacing.</p><p>“You won’t shoot me,” he said confidently.</p><p>"He won't," The Asset agreed. "It'd make a mess and spoil my fun. Still, seeing you at gunpoint does give me a certain kind of happiness. Thanks to you, I held a gun on people I count as family.”</p><p>“It’s time, Talos,” Fury said.</p><p>Talos gave a small nod and then his shape seemed to change, spreading from head to toe. Ross closed his eyes, opened them, and looked at Talos—at least Ross assumed it was Talos as he now looked very different. Dressed in red silk pajamas, his hair tousled and eyes weary, he looked exactly like Ross.</p><p>He couldn’t believe what he was seeing, and he’d seen a lot in his life.</p><p>The Asset surveyed him and nodded. “Perfect,” he said. “Now, I’ve got to get out of here. You can take care of the rest?”</p><p>Talos nodded. “You have been explicit in your instructions. Fury, you will extract me?”</p><p>Fury nodded. “Don’t worry. We will be there.”</p><p>The Asset stared at Ross for a moment. “You might want to change. I’ve got no idea what the weather is where we’re going. It might get cold.”</p><p>Fury rolled his visible eye. “Are you really enjoying this, Spider-Man?”</p><p>The Asset grinned. “Are you not? This is what’s going to get you what you want. Come on, Director, you’re enjoying yourself. Admit it. There’s no shame. Revenge is sweet and all that.”</p><p>Fury's lips quirked in a smile. "Perhaps. You should go, though."</p><p>The Asset nodded. “Yeah. I’ll drop him off and then come back for you. I won’t be gone long.” He grabbed Ross’ upper arm with a pinching grip and said, “I don’t know what this is going to feel like for you, so maybe take a deep breath and brace yourself.”</p><p>Ross tried to tug his arm free, but before he could break his grip, he felt a twisting in his gut as if Iron Man himself had gripped his intestines and squeezed them in one of his suited hands. He squeezed his eyes closed with pain and groaned, then he felt a rush of warmth over him and a light combined of a rainbow of colors that were visible even though his eyes were closed. His feet left the floor and then slammed hard into a squashy ground. He retched and choked, his whole body feeling like it was being jabbed by needles.</p><p>When he’d finally gasped himself to steady breathing, still nauseous and pained, The Asset dropped his arm and said, “You can look.”</p><p>Ross opened his eyes and looked around, then squeezed them closed again as his mind reeled. The brief glimpse he’d had before shock took over was a green field under a whitewashed sky with two suns directly above them.</p><p>His nose was filled with the unpleasant scent of manure, and the air was cold. He forced his eyes open again and looked at The Asset, who was beaming.</p><p>“What is this?” he asked.</p><p>“Your new home," The Asset said happily. "I'm not sticking around, obviously, but I'm not cruel enough to abandon you without a couple of tips I got from some friends. The mosquitoes are bad but don't like goat dung, so coat yourself with that. The water can give you stomach issues, so maybe boil it first." He bounced on the balls of his feet and clapped his hands. “Okay, gotta go. I want to get home before the news breaks.”</p><p>Anger overcame Ross' shock, and he grabbed The Asset around the throat. "I don't know what you think you're doing, if you've drugged me and this is some kind of hallucination or if it's Stark technology creating an illusion, but you will stop it and return me before I am forced to use the full weight of my power against you and your so-called family—The Avengers."</p><p>The Asset brushed his hand away as if swatting a fly. “You have no power and this is not an illusion or hallucination.” His previously amused expression became a glare of hatred. “This is punishment, Ross, for what you did to me.”</p><p>“I will make you pay for this!” Ross shouted, still not able to believe what was happening to him and waiting for the moment he would wake up or snap out of it.</p><p>“No, you won’t. You will live this new nightmare the way you made me live mine.” He took a step back, his previous good humor returning, and waved. “See you.”</p><p>With a blaze of rainbow light, he shot into the sky and disappeared, leaving Ross alone in this insane place with the buzz of mosquitoes around him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… I’m a little worried. So many of you wanted Ross killed for what he did, but that just wasn’t something I could make Peter do or allow to happen. I think this punishment works out well. Ross loses everything and Peter is safe. Let me know what you think. <br/>Until next time…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Wednesday! <br/>It’s that wonderful — for me at least — time again. I get to put a chapter up and then wait anxiously to see what you think of it. <br/>I’ve got no huge concerns for this one, which is a nice change. We see Tony again and then we have a couple Agents of Shield cameos. I have no idea where Shield are in the canon MCU timeline at this point as I stopped watching when the writers murdered — yes, I’m bitter — Coulson. If I’m way off canon. I apologize and hope you’ll forgive me. You’ve all been pretty great about my failings lately, so I’m hopeful. <br/>I cannot say enough how much it means to me to have your support. I love seeing familiar names in my inbox with your thoughts, and occasionally there’s a new name as someone else joins the story, which is always great. I see with kudos and comment that there are people even now joining this series from the beginning, and I’d like to welcome you all to this world of mine. I hope you enjoy it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony was in the kitchen, loading the dishwasher with the breakfast plates Rhodey was rinsing when Friday spoke over them. “Boss, you have received an incoming message from Director Fury with a keyword that broke through my blocking system.”</p><p>Tony straightened up and frowned. "What did he say?"</p><p>“Reading—'<em>Turn on the news, Stark, and see what Spider-Man has been doing</em>.’”</p><p>Tony was in the living room in a moment, he had the remote out of Morgan's hand and the station changed to CNN with the next.</p><p>“Daddy!” she whined. “I was watching SpongeBob.”</p><p>"I know, honey," he said, stroking her hair. "But Daddy needs to see the news."</p><p>“The news is boring.”</p><p>“Not today,” Tony muttered. “This is important?”</p><p>Pepper looked up at him. “What’s going on, Tony?”</p><p>Tony leaned against the back of the couch, watching the anchor lining up the coming segment. “Friday said a message came from Fury to watch. It’s something to do with Peter.</p><p>“Petey!” Morgan said eagerly. “Is he coming.”</p><p>“Not that we know, honey,” Pepper said.</p><p>The anchor spoke, and they all fell silent, Morgan the only exception as she was grumbling about not being able to see Peter.</p><p>“<em>And we’re moving to The White House where Veronica Kline is present for a press conference with the President. We don’t know what will be discussed, but the increasing passion of the protests taking place outside the White House for the treatment of the Returned may be an issue addressed.”</em> The view changed to a lectern in front of two flags, and then Ross walked on the stage. He set down his papers, cleared his throat, and said, <em>“Members of the press, thank you for coming. I need to make an announcement, a confession if you will—”</em></p><p>“He’s needs to <em>what?</em>” Rhodey said loudly.</p><p>Tony shook his head wordlessly. The only thing he could think was that somehow what Ross had done to Peter had become known and that he was going to deal with that. How it could have happened, Tony didn't know as T'Challa had taken the evidence. His worst fear was that this was going to mean Peter would be unmasked as Spider-Man, or worse, the one that bore the Stones. His heart pounded against his ribs as he watched.</p><p>
  <em>“In 2016, soon after my appointment as Secretary of State, I was approached by an outside party with a plan to solve many issues our great country was dealing with—overpopulation, economic difficulties, a housing crisis, the failing healthcare system among other things. I was offered a solution…”</em>
</p><p>“Tony,” Rhodey said slowly, “do you really think this is going where I think?”</p><p>Tony shook his head. “It can’t be.”</p><p>“But if Peter used the Mind Stone on him…”</p><p>“He wouldn’t.”</p><p>Tony knew Peter hated Ross, and he’d told the version he faced under BARF that he was going to come for him, but Tony didn’t believe he would use the Stones for this. Not Peter.</p><p>
  <em>“The person that approached me was the Titan known as Thanos.”</em>
</p><p>There was an explosion of questions in the room from the reporters, and the staff around the President paled and shot startled looks at him.</p><p>
  <em>“For my involvement, I was asked to facilitate a way to dissolve the group known as the Avengers. I used my position to push the process of the Sokovia Accords through speedily in order to create a rift. I knew that select members of the Avengers would not be willing to sign outright, and I used my fullest influence to create a document that would not be signed by all, thereby separating earth’s defenders.”</em>
</p><p>Tony breathed out in a rush. He was sure this was a lie, positive, but whoever had come up with it, and Peter had to be a part, was a genius. Perhaps Fury was the one in charge. He’d contacted them before the news broke, so he was involved.</p><p><em>“I was not alone in this endeavor,” </em>Ross went on. His face was neutral, but Tony thought there was something in his eyes that didn’t match what he was saying—he seemed to be enjoying himself. <em>“Speaker of the House Baxter was a part of the plan during her position as senator of Rhode Island, Vice President Willoughby was also…”</em></p><p>He began to list the names of his closest allies in places of power, including the chief of intelligence, Hammond. Tony stared at the screen, in awe, barely hearing Pepper shushing Morgan, who was asking about Peter, or Rhodey’s muttered exclamations of shock.</p><p><em>“I have been burdened with this secret for years,” </em>he went on. <em>“Now, with my renewed faith in the Advent of the Returned Church, I need to absolve myself of guilt. I hereby resign my position as your President and volunteer myself for investigation by the proper authorities. I know this will lead to imprisonment and punishment, and I accept that. I can only apologize for the suffering of the American people that I swore to serve. I have also abused my power to seek prosecution and attack of Colonel James Rhodes, who I believed was close to discovering what I had done. He is an innocent man I have persecuted unlawfully.” </em> He held up his hands. <em>“I will not be answering questions at this time as I believe all confessions and incriminating evidence should be handled by the law of our great country.” </em></p><p>He walked away from the lectern to the stunned security services and his own team, who seemed to have no idea how to handle the information. Then, with a look of fury, one of the secret service agents spun him and pinned his arms behind his back as another pointed a gun at him.</p><p>Tony blew out a breath and pressed a hand to his forehead.</p><p>“Momma, has the president been naughty?” Morgan asked.</p><p>“Yes,” Pepper said, her voice weak with shock. “He really has.”</p><p>Tony gave his head a brisk shake and said, "Morgan, why don't you go play outside for a while? I need to talk to Momma and Uncle Rhodey."</p><p>“Okay,” she said happily, possibly glad to get away from the boring grown-up conversation.</p><p>She slid off the couch and scurried outside, letting the door swing closed behind her.</p><p>Tony and Rhodey took seats, Tony beside Pepper and Rhodey on the armchair, and there was a moment of stiff silence before Pepper said, “What the hell just happened?”</p><p>“Pete,” Rhodey said.</p><p>“How?” Pepper asked. “I know he’s powerful, but this is…”</p><p>Rhodey shot Tony a look and said, “Strange said he could do stuff like this.”</p><p>“No!” Tony said curtly. “Peter would not use his power like that. Sure, if it was me, I’d do it in a heartbeat after what he put him through, but there’s no way Peter would. It’s just not him.”</p><p>Rhodey seemed to consider a moment, and then he nodded. "No, you're right. Not Pete. But he's got to be a part of this, and we should find out what."</p><p>“Fury,” Tony spat. “He did this.” He set his phone down on the table and said, “Friday, call Nick Fury.”</p><p>“Calling,” she said. “Connecting.”</p><p>A moment later, Fury’s face filled the screen.</p><p>“Fury, you bald-headed bastard,” Tony spat. “What did you do?”</p><p>Fury laughed. “Me? I did very little. This is all on your kid.”</p><p>“Okay, what did <em>he</em> do?” Rhodey asked tersely.</p><p>Fury leaned back in the chair he was seated on and steepled his fingers under his chin. "He approached me just over a week ago, asking for my help. He wanted to deal with Ross, but he couldn't leave a power vacuum in his place. I helped."</p><p>“Helped how?” Tony asked.</p><p>“I contacted an old friend, Talos, and introduced him to Peter.” Seeing their blank faces, he went on. “Talos is a Skrull; he can copy a person’s appearance, voice, and most recent memories. That’s who just made that interesting speech.”</p><p>Tony exhaled in a gust. It wasn’t Peter using the Stones to control Ross’ mind. He hadn’t believed it, not really, but there was the smallest hint of doubt that he couldn’t deny. It would have been a good explanation for what had happened.</p><p>“Where’s is Ross now?” Pepper asked.</p><p>“No idea,” Fury said serenely. “Off-planet is all I know. Wherever it is, the kid was excited about it, so I’m guessing it’s nowhere good.”</p><p>“Where is Peter?” Pepper asked.</p><p>Fury shrugged. “Right now, I don’t know. I’ve got plans to meet him in a few days to finish up.”</p><p>“Where?” Tony asked.</p><p>Fury looked almost apologetic, something Tony had not seen since he’d told them of Coulson’s death. “I can’t tell you, Stark. The kid doesn’t want you to have a part of this, says you’ve got too much to lose.”</p><p>That was true, but Tony still wanted to know. He wanted to see his son, make sure he was okay. What he had done to Ross was huge, and also out of character.</p><p>Tony understood it, he wanted Ross to die a painful death, though it didn’t sound like that was what Peter had delivered; not that he would have expected that from his son. Still, he wanted to talk to him, check on him, be sure he was okay.</p><p>Unfortunately, he was going to have to wait for Peter to decide as and when that could happen as he’d not called or answered Tony’s voicemails—which he’d limited himself to leaving once a day, keeping them cheerful and full of news. His text messages weren’t delivering either, according to Friday, and Karen had not reported in. </p><p>"I gotta go," Fury said. "DC is in chaos, and Ellis needs a little support. I’m sure your kid will be in touch soon, Stark. As will I.”</p><p>Before Tony could say anything else, the call disconnected. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed.</p><p>“This is big,” Pepper said.</p><p>“It is,” Rhodey agreed. “Pete’s doing more than exploring. But you know what? I’m happy. We were helpless against Ross, and he’s taken care of it exactly how he’d want to. If there was a chance we could do it and get away, we’d have killed him. Pete wouldn’t want that, and we all know it. This is the right way to settle things.”</p><p>“It is,” Tony said. “I wish I could talk to him, though.”</p><p>“We all do,” Rhodey said, then sighed. “I’ve got to do a little digging around. If what Ross said is believed, I think that APB is out from over my head. I want to know where I stand.”</p><p>He picked up his phone and started to dial.</p><p>Pepper turned to Tony and gave him a small smile. “Why don’t you go out and see what Morgan is up to.”</p><p>She was giving him what he needed, as she almost always did. He would spend some time with his daughter and distract his thoughts away from his son. He would find that peace with her, though he was sure he was going to have questions about when she could see her brother again. He didn’t know when that would be, but he hoped it would be soon.</p><p>He was going to worry about him until he saw him again.</p><p>xXx</p><p>Fury watched Talos sit with his head bowed in an appearance of contemplative prayer as he was strapped into his seat in the helicopter by US Marshals. When they were done, the restraints digging into his chest and wrists, the Marshals stepped back and made for their own seats.</p><p>“You don’t need to come,” Fury said. “We’ve got him under control.”</p><p>The first marshal narrowed his eyes, “Director Fury, we were ordered to accompany your team to The Raft.”</p><p>“And I am ordering you off this chopper,” Fury said. “Do you really want to spend more time in this asshole traitor’s company anyway? Believe me, I don’t, but I will get him there and locked down.”</p><p>The Marshals exchanged a glance, and then the second said, "Yes, Sir. We will report your orders to the Second Chair."</p><p>Fury smiled smugly. “You might want to get used to calling him President Ellis again. The vote is tomorrow.”</p><p>“Yes, Sir.”</p><p>They looked over Talos once again, hatred for Ross in their eyes, and then stepped off the helicopter, backs bent to combat the wind of the propellers.</p><p>Agent May stepped away from the still-open door, dropped into the pilot seat, and said, "You ready, Director?"</p><p>Fury nodded. “Let’s get out of here. Spider-Man will be joining us en route.”</p><p>The helicopter lifted slowly and then took flight east over the river, away from DC.</p><p>“And I’ll be able to get out of this skin?” Talos said, raising his head and losing the contemplative look of prayer. “Because it’s not the best I’ve ever been in. I thought I knew what it was like to be hated, but this Ross takes it to a whole new level.”</p><p>Agent Johnson snorted. “And you wonder why?”</p><p>“No, I don’t wonder, but I am surprised by the passion of it. Fury said Ross had a lot of support before. Do you know how many people spat in my face and how often I could smell urine in my oatmeal? I am hungry.”</p><p>Fury shrugged. “Ask Spider-Man to drop you off somewhere you can get some food. We won’t need you again. The others he fingered are denying it, of course, but you played a good role, Talos, and no one believes them. They’ll all rot.”</p><p>"And are you going to explain how you managed to pull this off?" Agent Johnson asked. "How you switched the President out, or where he is now? You going to tell us exactly what that kid is capable of?"</p><p>“No,” Fury said, stretching his legs and relaxing in his seat. “You don’t need to know more than you’re going to see, and you’re not going to share news of it with anyone at all, are you, Agent Johnson?”</p><p>“No, Sir,” she intoned, though she looked annoyed.</p><p>Fury wasn’t worried they’d tell anyone. He’d arranged this mission with only two of the remaining Agents of SHIELD—Johnson and May; the two that he knew wouldn’t betray the secret for sure as they were the ones Coulson had trusted above all others. </p><p>“Do you feel any guilt for what you did to them when you had me name them?” Talos asked curiously.</p><p>Fury shook his head. “It was for the greater good. They knew too much about Spider-Man. Ross was dangerous, and America will be safer with Ellis in charge. Besides, Ross deserved what he got. I just wish I knew where he was.”</p><p>“You really don’t know?”  Johnson said.</p><p>“Off-world. That’s all Spider-Man would tell me. Well, that and Ross would be uncomfortable there and could never come back. It was good enough for me.” He checked his watch and said, “Okay, Talos, let’s get you free. Spider-Man will be here soon.”</p><p>He removed Talos’ restraints, seeing him wince and stretch his muscles, and then say, “I can lose the face?”</p><p>“You can,” Fury said. “There’s no surveillance in here.”</p><p>Talos stood and ran a hand over his face, Ross’ reddened cheeks and receding hairline replaced with Talos’ own natural green hue. “That’s better,” he said.</p><p>He sat down again and looked out of the open door at the ocean slipping under them. Fury watched, too, waiting for the rush of rainbow light and Spider-Man to appear. They'd traveled another five minutes before he heard a laugh over the chopper's thrumming propellers, and the blaze of light appeared and died as Spider-Man folded himself into the chopper and grinned at them all.</p><p>“Hey. You work it all out okay?”</p><p>“We did,” Fury said. “How is Ross settling into his new home?”</p><p>Spider-Man grinned. "How would I know? It's not like I've gone back to check on him gloat or… Okay, yeah, I went back, just to check, once or twice. He's worked out how to deal with the mosquitoes, which is disgusting but hilarious, and I got the feeling the water is giving him stomach issues, which was perfect." He crossed his arms over his chest. "He's safe and trapped, though; no way he's coming back."</p><p>“Good,” Fury said. “The vote is scheduled for tomorrow in the Senate, but no one is doubting Ellis will get in. There will be a formal election, of course, but he’ll will coast that.”</p><p>Spider-Man considered. “Okay, great. So, when Talos is out of here, our deal is done.”</p><p>“It’s done,” Fury agreed.</p><p>“But you could stick around,” Johnson said. “Obviously, there's more to you than flight now, Spider-Man, and SHIELD could use someone like you."</p><p>Spider-Man looked genuinely remorseful as he answered. “I can’t do that, sorry. There’s way too much for me to do, and I want to go home when I’m done.” He sighed. “I miss my family already.”</p><p>“Your family is the Avengers, right?” Johnson asked.</p><p>Peter nodded. “Yeah.”</p><p>She frowned. “Must be interesting. Though I guess your life is pretty interesting even without them. I saw the footage of the battlefield, what you did, and saw the report that come out of Wakanda. We don’t really know what it means, though, what these Stones can do.”</p><p>“And you’re not going to know,” Fury said bluntly. “Spider-Man is not available for recruitment, Johnson.”</p><p>She raised an eyebrow and then said, “Shame.”</p><p>Spider-Man rubbed his hands together and said, “Okay, Mr. Talos, you ready to get out of here?”</p><p>“Definitely,” he replied.</p><p>“And you know what you’ve got to do, Director?”</p><p>Fury narrowed his eyes. “Since it was <em>my</em> plan, yes, I know exactly what to do. We get close enough to The Raft to bail out, parachute onto it, and drop the chopper in the ocean. Former President Ross is going down with it, impossible to rescue or the wreckage to be found.”</p><p>Spider-Man nodded. “Great. I’ll drop Mr. Talos off and then come back and keep an eye on you. Last thing we want is SHIELD’s finest missing the drop and hitting the water. Hover around a few minutes until I get back.”</p><p>“We don’t need your help,” May said. “I don’t.”</p><p>Spider-Man gave her an indulgent smile and placed a hand on his heart. “I get that, I do, but for my own peace of mind, I’ll come check on you.”</p><p>He gestured Talos toward the door and said, “Brace yourself. This is going to be a bit tougher than getting you into The White House. Ross really didn’t seem to enjoy the ride.”</p><p>Talos nodded and gripped Spider-Man's outstretched arm. They stepped off of the chopper, and then both shot up in a blaze of light.</p><p>Johnson watched the place they had been and said, “What Fitzsimmons wouldn’t give for a few days with him.”</p><p>“They’re not getting near him,” Fury said, though he knew he had no choice in it really. If Spider-Man wanted to see them, to talk about all that science crap that evidently got him excited, he would.</p><p>Fury had wanted to guide him, have a part of his power, but he was pretty sure that wasn’t going to happen now. He’d learned his lesson faster than Ross.</p><p>Spider-Man would not be leashed. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… What do you think? Disclaimer: I’m a Brit and know nothing about US politics. I looked into it, but it was too complex to make sense of. For the sake of this story, it’s possible for Ross to be replaced by Ellis and not one of the line of other people it should be in real life. <br/>Until next time…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Good news! Not only do I get to update today—always an awesome day—but Story IV is finally flowing. It's actually almost complete. I think I've got a couple chapters left to write. Its working title is No Man Can Win Every Battle. Don’t worry about the title, though, as it’s not an angst fest. It’s not as light as this story, but there’s still a good family feel to it with an undergoing plot. It’s going to need tweaking after the chapters are actually written. As I edit these chapters to post, I find things that are missing in Story IV. For the sake of continuity and quality, I’ll need to add some scenes before I can throw myself into Story V, which has my favorite plot of the series.  <br/>The best part of this news, for you as well as me, is that is means I can maintain my twice-weekly updates as I’ve got a store of chapters. With the struggles I was having, I was starting to think I’d have to cut down to once a week. I’m much happier now I know I can keep the chapters coming as, I’m sure you know by now, update days are my favorite days of the week. <br/>Thank you all,  once again, for all the support you’ve shown me, this story, and this series overall. You are all so amazing and have proved Snarkymuch right. Which, for once, I’m not complaining about. <br/>I’m done rambling. Enjoy the chapter xxx</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bucky was sitting by the lake with Steve. Neither of them were talking, but the silence was comfortable, both of them perfectly at ease with the other. </p><p>The news had broken that morning that Ross had been killed when the helicopter transporting him to The Raft had suffered an engine malfunction and crashed into the Atlantic. His guard had survived, parachuting onto floating prison, but none of them had been able to free Ross before they jumped. At least that was the story. They were all sure Peter had something to do with it in order to free the Skrull Fury said had been posing as Ross for the confession and aftermath.</p><p>Bucky was pleased Ross was gone, even though he had no idea where he was. Peter would have peace now knowing his tormentor would never touch him again, and he’d been the one to deliver that justice. He would never have been able to kill Ross, they all knew that a long time ago, but Tony reported that he’d been punished.</p><p>The Tool Shed was quieter now that Peter, Tony, and Rhodey were gone. Rhodey was no longer a wanted man, so he was negotiating with the Air Force to return to duty as an intermediary between them and the Avengers. Tony was back with his family, and Peter was wherever he was.</p><p>The rest of them were commuting between the Tool Shed and the Compound, which was in the process of being rebuilt. The destruction of the battle had been cleared from the surrounding land, and the main bones of the building were done. Now it was just a case of creating the interior areas.</p><p>Steve was enjoying having a part of the planning as he planned to make it home when it complete, as did Bruce and Wanda, though Sam was going to be sharing his time between there and the VA hospital in the city where he could return to his old job of counseling veterans. Bruce planned to resume his research in the lab he'd designed, and Wanda just wanted peace for a while.</p><p>Bucky had no idea what he was going to do. He could decide nothing until he knew what Peter's plans would be when he came back. Steve ventured the theory that he might want to go back to school at some point, though Tony suggested he would test out of school and head straight to college. Whichever Peter decided on, Bucky wanted to be close to him. Tony was settled in his lake house with Pepper and Morgan, the others had their plans, and Bucky would fit wherever Peter went so he would not be alone.</p><p>Bucky knew what it was to be alone, and he didn’t want that again for either of them.</p><p>“Hungry?” Steve asked.</p><p>Bucky shrugged. "Yeah. I'll fix something for us. What do you—" His eyes snapped up, and his mouth dropped open as he saw a flash of light appear above them. He jumped to his feet and spun around as Peter came to rest a few feet away from them, wide smile in place and his colorful eyes sparkling with happiness.</p><p>“Peter!” he said, stepping forward without thought and pulling Peter into his arms. “Damn, bud, it’s good to see you.”</p><p>Peter hugged him back, and then, when Bucky released him, greeted Steve with a handshake and cheerful, "Hey, Brooklyn."</p><p>“We missed you, Queens,” Steve said.</p><p>"I missed you guys, too. I would have come back sooner, but there was so much to do, and the Stones were pushing. But I figured now Ross is taken care of, I can take a break. Who's here?"</p><p>“Sam, Bruce, and Wanda,” Steve said. “Rhodey’s with Tony and his family at their place.”</p><p>Peter looked a bit disappointed, but he quickly shrugged it off and said, “I’ll go by see them later.”</p><p>Bucky was pleased as he’d thought Peter would take off to see his father when he heard he wasn’t there with them. He’d understand it if he did, but it would be good to spend some time with him. Though it had only been a few weeks since he left, it felt like it had been a lot longer to Bucky. He’d really missed him.</p><p>“What time is it?” Peter asked. “I kinda lose track between time zones and planets.”</p><p> Bucky shook his head at the easy way he said it, planets, as if there was nothing strange about visiting other planets, especially without a ship. Peter was actually able to fly to these places alone. That was crazy, but, also, it felt oddly right.</p><p>“It’s eleven,” Steve said, checking his watch.</p><p>Peter’s smile brightened. “Awesome! Early lunch!”</p><p>“Are you getting enough to eat?” Bucky asked.</p><p>“Yeah. I buy some and have some bought for me in exchange for services rendered—I’m doing some Spider-Man stuff out there, too—and by friends. But it’s been a while since breakfast, and that was a crazy unidentifiable blue vegetable thing I got on Janiston.”</p><p>“Janiston?” Steve asked.</p><p>“Planet,” Peter said cheerfully. “Nice people, good weather, unusual food.”</p><p>“Then let’s get you fed.” Steve chuckled and headed to the door. Bucky placed his hand on Peter’s shoulder, and they followed him together.</p><p>There were cries of surprise and greeting from Wanda and Bruce, who were watching the news, and Sam appeared out of the kitchen and grinned as he caught sight of Peter.</p><p>Peter dropped onto the couch beside Wanda, grinned as she squeezed his hand, and answered Bruce’s question of what he’d been doing with a smug, “I’m sure you’ve seen the news.”</p><p>“We have,” Bruce said. “Where’s Ross?”</p><p>Peter cackled gleefully. “On a planet called Gryn Fylds, and he's miserable. It's an interesting planet with a few inconveniences for living standards, but he's working on building himself a little shack. Last time I saw him, he was digging a latrine, which is going to be <em>very </em>useful if he doesn’t start boiling his water before drinking it.”</p><p>Wanda, Sam, and Steve goggled at him, but Bucky laughed. The more uncomfortable Ross was, the happier Bucky would be.</p><p>Bruce nodded slightly and said, “Good.”</p><p>Steve had told Bucky that Bruce had his own history with Ross that would want him to seek revenge, too, and Bucky had seen himself the look on Bruce’s face when Tony had told them what Peter had done; Bruce had been more than satisfied. </p><p>“What do you want for lunch?” Steve asked.</p><p>Peter considered. “Um… anything but blue vegetables would be awesome. I’ve eaten some crazy stuff, so anything American would be good. Did you know there’s a planet called Cloxys-10 that has smoothies that taste like pot roast?”</p><p>Sam’s mouth dropped open. “That’s… gross.”</p><p>Peter shrugged. “It actually tasted surprisingly good, though very weird. Peter Quill bought it for me, along with these great nachos.”</p><p>“You’ve seen The Guardians of the Galaxy?” Steve asked.</p><p>“Yeah, I needed help finding a place for Ross, so I tracked them down.”</p><p>“How?” Wanda asked curiously.</p><p>Peter touched a lifted a hand, and colored light danced over it. "With the Stones. They're like the universe's best GPS."</p><p>“Yeah, like the Baby Monitor Protocol?” Steve asked with a quirked brow.</p><p>Peter laughed. “I guess it does that, yeah, but it’s way more than that, too.”</p><p>“You going to tell us?” Sam asked.</p><p>"Nope," Peter said cheerfully. "You might want to test it out if you know, and we could all do without that. I'd say you never need to know, but you're The Avengers, so it's pretty much definitely going to come up at some point."</p><p>Bucky stared at him and then shook his head and patted his shoulder. “You’re enjoying this whole mystery thing a little too much, bud.”</p><p>"Maybe," Peter said. "But it's nice to be on the flipside with Tony, at least."</p><p>“Okay, lunch,” Bucky said. “Cheeseburgers?”</p><p>“Yeah!” Peter said eagerly. “That’d be great. I’ll help.”</p><p>Bucky held up a hand. "Bud, you spent three weeks bouncing around space, eating crazy foods, and kidnapping the President; I think you've earned a rest."</p><p>Peter beamed. “Thanks.”</p><p>“Want to watch a movie?” Steve offered.</p><p>“Sure,” Peter said. “You can pick.” He kicked off his shoes and rested his feet on the coffee table.</p><p>Bucky ruffled Peter’s hair, getting a grimace and scowl in return, and then headed into the kitchen to get to work on lunch. If Peter had been drinking meat-flavored smoothies and blue vegetables, Bucky was going to make sure he got a good All-American cheeseburger to show him what he was missing.</p><p>And hopefully, that would want to make him come back sooner next time to see them.</p><p>xXx</p><p>Peter set himself down and listened for a moment to the sounds of the wind in the trees and the lake lapping the shore behind Tony's house. A new sound joined them, a soft voice talking, "That's right, go back under the rock. I'll come play later."</p><p>Peter crept towards the sound and saw Morgan bent and holding a large rock from the ground, her eyes on the bugs that were crawling around in the dirt. He chuckled at the sight of her with her smile wide and eyes excited.</p><p>“Hey, Mo,” he said, stepping closer.</p><p>She dropped the rock, possibly crushing the bugs that she’d befriended, and squealed. “Petey!”</p><p>He bent to catch her as she barreled into him and lifted her into his arms, spinning around so her hair flew and laughter bubbled from her.</p><p>When they stilled, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He embraced her in return, then set her down and stroked a hand over her soft hair.</p><p>“What were you doing?” he asked.</p><p>"It's my bug army," she said. "Like I told you. They like to hide under the rocks, but they crawl out to see me when I come."</p><p>Peter grinned at the innocence of the answer. “Sounds great. Where’s Momma and Daddy?”</p><p>“Momma’s doing her boring work in the library, lots of phone calls and computer stuff, and Uncle Rhodey went to town. Daddy is in the garage." She tugged his hand so he bent to her so she could whisper in his ear. "He's working on your other suit, but Momma can't know because she's told him he's been doing too much work and needs to play more."</p><p>“That sounds like your daddy, for sure. Shall we go see him, make him relax for a while?”</p><p>"Yeah!" she said eagerly. "Let's do that! Oh! Can we surprise him? He doesn't know you're here, and you can jump out and scare him."</p><p>Peter pretended to consider a moment, even though he was already hooked on the idea, and then he nodded and said, “That’s a great idea. I know how we can do it. How do we get into the garage?”</p><p>“There’s two doors. One in the kitchen and one behind the house.”</p><p>"Great, you're going to have to be really good at pretending. You go in and talk to him, and I'll sneak up. I'll climb."</p><p>Her lips parted. “On the ceiling, upside down?”</p><p>“You read my mind.”</p><p>She clapped her hands and led him around the house to the entrance to the garage, which was partially open. He peeked inside and saw Tony sitting on a stool, facing away from him. He was swiping his hand across the hologram in front of him and muttering under his breath to Friday.</p><p>Peter turned around and whispered. “Okay, you go in through the other door and talk to him.”</p><p>Morgan giggled behind her hand and darted away. Peter waited until the door to the right opened, and she raced in, calling to her father.</p><p>Tony turned on his stool to catch her running embrace, and Peter used the moment to ease open the door, enter and climb onto the ceiling. Morgan was chattering, and Tony was wholly distracted, so Peter crawled across the ceiling until he was right above them. He moved to stand, back bent so he was above Tony, and then, as Morgan tugged on his hand and carried on chattering, he straightened so his face was level with the back of Tony's head and tapped him on the shoulder.</p><p>Tony turned, bewildered, and then jumped back a foot and clapped his hand to his chest, shouting, “Jesus! Pete!”</p><p>Morgan was doubled over laughing at her father’s shock, and Peter was chuckling. He dropped down in front of Tony and waved a nonchalant hand. “Hey, Tony.”</p><p>Tony gaped at him a moment, grabbed his shoulders, and dragged him into a tight embrace that knocked the breath out of Peter.</p><p>Morgan threw herself at them, her arms wrapped around them both, and said, “Petey came home, Daddy!”</p><p>"I see," Tony said, hugging Peter a little closer then holding him at arm's length and patting his cheek. “Hey, kid. You’ve been busy.”</p><p>“I have,” Peter agreed. “You saw the news.”</p><p>“And spoke to Fury. He told me a little. I want to hear it all.”</p><p>“I’ll tell you,” Peter said, giving Morgan a pointed look, “later.”</p><p>Tony nodded. “Sure. Okay. Let’s get in and see Pepper. Rhodey’s in town, but he’ll be back soon.”</p><p>“Great,” Peter said. “It’ll be good to see him, too. I went by the Tool Shed first. I didn’t think of checking where you were on the way here.”</p><p>"Yeah, I came home when you took off. Rhodey's probably going to head off soon. He's a free man, thanks to you."</p><p>Peter smiled. Dealing with Ross the way he had done was satisfying, but one of the best parts of what happened was that he’d cleared Rhodey’s name, so he didn’t have to live in hiding anymore. It had been one of the things he insisted on Talos achieving when they made their arrangements. </p><p>Peter was free, both of Ross’ scrutiny and the programming, Rhodey was free to return to his life, and Tony was free to be with his family without having to look after Peter. As much as he missed him, missed them all, he was glad that things were better for them all now.</p><p>He had no idea what he was going to do when the Stones said he was free to return home, that he’d learned and done enough, but it wasn’t going to be high school anymore. He was going to find a new way to live, to use his power, and he was going to make sure that his new family were a part of it.</p><p>As for his old family, he had something he wanted to offer them soon that he hoped they would accept.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… A little family time. It was a nice change of pace to have this. We’ve got a little more family in the next chapter, some of Peter’s old family. That chapter is followed by one of my favorite chapters as we have a huge show of power from Peter again. <br/>Until next time…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Monday People!<br/>It’s a brand new week, I am starting a brand new story, and I have brand new pre-readers signed up to help Prongs100 and me. Rjcarreno77 and KScullen are going to be helping me out with No Man Can Win Every Battle. Right now, they’re just getting caught up with the remaining chapters of Who Am I? – I’m Spider-Man so we can all work on Story IV together. <br/>Story IV is now complete and I am going to start work on Story V today. That one will be called But No Man Should Fall Without A Struggle. It’s one I am very excited about as it had a plot which I can really get my teeth into and it brings me back to building bonds again which is one of the things I loved about With Great Power. <br/>One more thing – I am putting up another Monday chapter here because I got kinda mixed up in some of my replies and bigged up this chapter way too much. The one I am really excited about with the BIG event is coming Wednesday.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>May was stirring the pot when arms looped around her waist and warm breath tickled her neck.</p><p>She gave a little shiver. “You know I need all the concentration I have to not mess this up, Ben,” she scolded. </p><p>“I know,” he said. “But, May, it’s oatmeal. It doesn’t matter how good you make it, it’s going to taste like glue anyway.”</p><p>She laughed. “It’s healthy. You’re not as young as you used to be, Ben Parker. You need to take care of your heart health.”</p><p>“I love that you’re thinking of things like that,” he said. “But you and I both know that’s not an issue anymore, love.”</p><p>She sighed, and her shoulders slumped. Ben was so much more accepting of their situation than she was.</p><p>She was dead. A car had careened into the side of hers, and she'd been killed on impact. There had been a rush of headlights coming at her, a blinding pain in her head, and then nothing until she woke up in bed with Ben in this place.</p><p>Their reunion, both longed for and dreaded as it would mean leaving Peter behind, had been bittersweet. He had held her as she cried, and then she’d made the admission that Peter was already gone; he’d left her behind before she could leave him. After he’d heard that painful truth, she’d held him as he cried.</p><p>The part that upset them both, even now, was that Peter was not part of this place with them. It was Heaven, or an approximation of it, and the person they both longed to be with was gone, even though he had died, too. May’s one hope was that he wasn’t there because he had been saved already. That was a thin hope. The more likely answer was that when Peter had been lost with so many others, they’d not found Heaven but somewhere else.</p><p>"Come on, May," Ben said. "You need to relax and accept it."</p><p>“I know that,” she said with a slight bite of anger.</p><p>He turned her and stroked her face, his face apologetic. “May, I…”</p><p>“I do know, I really do, but I like doing things this way. It feels more… real to me. It makes me miss our boy less. I can pretend he’s just in his bedroom, sleeping late so that I have to go in a tear the comforter off to wake him because he stayed up too late swinging around town, stopping muggers, helping people cross the street, walking people home when they’ve had too much to drink, and…”</p><p>“Being a hero?” he suggested.</p><p>She bit her lip and nodded. “I want that to be the truth.”</p><p>He kissed her gently on the lips and then leaned back, his eyes sad. “I want that, too, May, more than anything. We have to make the most of what we have, though. Wishing him here isn’t going to bring him here.”</p><p>She sighed and moved the pan from the stove. “It’s burned,” she stated.</p><p>“Then we’ll throw away the pan and buy a new one.”</p><p>She laughed softly, knowing that would happen. Ben would go to Harper's Homewares, buy a new pan, come home and show her what he'd bought, and she would smile and be happy.</p><p>And none of it would be real.</p><p>Seeing her pain, Ben did what he always did so well—he distracted her. He cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips to her, a mere whisper of a touch that came and went and then deepened as he poured himself and his love into her.</p><p>She lost herself for a time, comforted and peaceful, and then they broke apart when a throat cleared behind them and a voice—so wonderfully familiar and longed for—said, “Whoa! Okay, I guess I should have knocked first. Good job I didn’t come five minutes later. You know, it’s kinda unsanitary doing this in the kitchen. You have a bedroom, and all, and—”</p><p>May spun around on shaking legs, her heart pounding against her ribs, and her eyes widened as they soaked in the miracle leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. His eyes—so different now from their rich brown he’d inherited from his father—were amused, and his smile was wide.</p><p>With a cry of joy, May crossed the room and yanked her nephew into her arms. She clung to him and then smattered kisses over his cheeks and forehead, his hair and nose.</p><p>“Aw, May,” Peter groaned. “That’s gross. You’ve got Ben all over your lips, and now you’re spreading it all over me.”</p><p>May leaned back, holding his too-thin face in her hands. "How?"</p><p>“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you it all, but… Oof!” His breath grunted out of him as Ben threw his arms around them both and yanked them close.</p><p>Peter laughed softly and then made a small sound of sadness and said, “God, Ben, I…” then sniffled.</p><p>They just embraced for a long time, feeling each other and the miracle that their reunion was, and then May realized what it meant.</p><p>She drew a shaky breath and said, “You’re here. That means they didn’t save…”</p><p>Ben released them both and put his arm around May as she cried into his chest.</p><p>“No, May!” Peter said, his hand settling on her face then combing back her hair. “They did it, really; they saved us all. Everyone that was lost was brought back. We’re all alive.”</p><p>“Then how are you here?” Ben asked. “Please, don’t tell me…” He cut himself off before he could voice the horrible possibility. </p><p> May raised her face from Ben’s chest and watched her nephew as he ran a hand over his face.</p><p>“No, I’m not dead,” he said with a small smile. “I’m here because…” He bit his lip. “I’m here because I <em>can</em> be here now; I can come.”</p><p>“Your eyes,” Ben said, his voice weak with relief. “How?”</p><p>“Let’s sit down,” Peter said. “Is someone cooking? I’m starving.”</p><p>May laughed at the small reminder of their life together before. At first, she thought Peter was just building up to a growth spurt when his appetite grew exponentially, but growth never came; he remained the same height as before. Then the truth about Spider-Man had come out, and she’d finally understood. An enhanced metabolism combined with massive amounts of energy expended in his patrols meant that he was always hungry.</p><p>“May burned oatmeal,” Ben said with a laugh.</p><p>Peter grimaced. “Huh. You have my pop-tart stash here?”</p><p>“We do,” May said. “Come sit down. Ben, the box is in the cupboard.”</p><p>Ben retrieved them as May led Peter into the living room, sitting so close beside him on the couch that she could feel his breaths lifting his shoulders. Ben came in, handed Peter the box of cinnamon pop-tarts which he tore into, ripped open a sleeve, and then took a huge bite. Ben sat on his other side, pressed as close as May. They just watched him eat, love in both their eyes and May’s heart soaring with joy.</p><p>Peter ate through one package, then wiped the crumbs from his mouth and said, "Okay. Here goes. I <em>am </em>alive, but I’m not really Peter the way I was when you knew me. I’m not even Spider-Man the same way.” He chanced a glance at May. “Did you talk about that?”</p><p>“Did your aunt tell me I have a bonafide superhero for a nephew?” Ben asked. “Yeah, she mentioned it a few times.”</p><p>The truth was that May and Ben spent hours talking about Peter's life as Spider-Man. May told him everything she knew, the things Tony Stark had told her, and the things she'd seen on the videos from his mask camera, which had been shown as evidence of Peter's abilities and safety.</p><p>"Great," Peter said, leaning his head on Ben's shoulder for a moment and getting a kiss to the hair in return, which made his smile widen. "I guess the easiest explanation is that I was given a gift," he said.</p><p>May and Ben watched and listened as he sat back, ran a hand over his face, and then launched into a story that would be too incredible to believe if it was not her painfully honest nephew telling it.</p><p>When he came to an end, May and Ben exchanged a long glance, and then Ben said, "You have these Infinity Stones inside you, and they give you powers?" </p><p>Peter nodded. “Yep, pretty much.”</p><p>“And one of those powers is that you can come here, which is the Soul Plane, not Heaven, to visit us?”</p><p>“Yep.”</p><p>Ben blew out a breath. “Man, Pete, this is kinda crazy.”</p><p>“Tell me about it,” Peter laughed. “But it really is true. And that's not all I can do. I, uh…" He ran a hand through his hair. "There's other stuff I can do, abilities I have, but I can’t use them to save you.”</p><p>“Save us?” May asked, bewildered as the only possibility was too much to consider.</p><p>“Actually bring you back to life,” Peter said. “I can do that for some people, but I can’t do it for you. I’m sorry. I wish I could, I’d give anything, but… There is something else I can do. I can change what happened. You don’t need to die.”</p><p>Ben breathed out in a rush. “Pete….”</p><p>"I know, it's big," Peter said, "but I can really do it if you want me to. I can stop you getting shot, Ben, I can stop the crash so you'd live, May."</p><p>Ben leaned forward and looked at May, his eyebrow quirked.</p><p>May smiled slightly and then looked down at her lap. The idea that Peter, the boy she loved all his life, was capable of that was incredible, shocking. She could tell he wanted to do this for them, but she wasn’t sure it was right.</p><p>She didn’t want to hurt Peter, though. He wanted this, and she wanted to be with him all the time, though could she? His life was so different now. He was an Avenger and had all this power.</p><p>“If you do it,” she said carefully, “could you be with us?”</p><p>Peter's face fell. "Not the way we used to be, no. All the big things would happen the same way, the Snap, and when I come back, I'd be like this…" He gestured to himself. "I can't exactly settle back into life with all this power I have now. I can't go back to Midtown with eyes like mine. I think that part of my life is over. I'd come see you, though."</p><p>Ben looked at May and then gave his head a small shake. She smiled slightly, communicating her agreement in the way they’d mastered in years of life and love.</p><p>“It wouldn’t be right, Pete,” he said. “Where we are now is the natural order.”</p><p>Peter sighed, but he didn't look surprised. "I get that. I kinda figured you'd say it, but I wanted to ask. I am going to offer to help some other people, but it'll be different for them. I can really bring them back, and I think they’ll want it."</p><p>“You can come back to see us, though, right?” May said.</p><p>Peter nodded eagerly. “Yeah, definitely. It’s easy for me with the Stones’ power. I’ll come back all the time, I promise.” He grinned. “You’ll get sick of me.”</p><p>Ben hugged Peter into his side. “That could never happen, kid. We love you more than anything and want you here. We know you’re going to be busy with everything, being a superhero and all, but we’ll be here waiting whenever you come.”</p><p>Peter beamed. “Great.”</p><p>“Will you stay for a while?” May asked hopefully.</p><p>"Yes. I want to see my mom and dad, too, while I'm here. I'm not going to talk to them; I think it'd be too confusing for them and me. I could never explain the power and how I'm here. I do want to see them, though, even though it'll be from a distance."</p><p>May stroked his cheek. “I think that’s the right choice, honey, and you can go to them whenever you want.”</p><p>Peter tore open out a fresh sleeve of pop-tarts. “I’ll go in a few days. I’ve got plenty of time.”</p><p>“You’ll stay with us that long?” May asked.</p><p>Peter nodded. “Yep. I’ll stay as long as I can, and I’ll come back soon.” He leaned his head against May’s shoulder, and she ran her fingers through his hair in the way he'd always liked. "As long as I can."</p><p>May pressed a kiss to his temple and looked at Ben, who was watching them with love shining in his eyes. She was perfectly happy now, her husband and nephew with her, and she thought her lingering resentment of this place was gone forever. Peter would come, she would be able to see him and talk to him, to love him, and when he was gone, she and Ben would have new memories of him.</p><p>It was Heaven for real now.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… That was May and Ben. I loved writing this chapter as I love May’s character. I don’t have a good feel for Ben, but May was developed in The Difference A Day makes for me. We have a big chapter coming next with a huge development of Peter’s abilities. Given the hint in this chapter, who do you think it will be?<br/>Until next time…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It’s Wednesday! One of my favourite days of the week. <br/>Story V is going slow but steady. I think the struggle is that I have too many ideas, too much excitement, and my brain can’t decide what to do next. Of everything written and everything planned for this series, it’s Story V that has the most interesting plot to me. I can’t say too much without giving away what’s coming, but it’s going to have a great family feel and I have a chance to build even more bonds between the characters in a way I haven’t ever had a chance in any Marvel or Supernatural story.  I think you’ll enjoy it, too. <br/>Thank you for the response to Chapter Nine. I love hearing from you all. If you enjoy what you read, please let me know. Knowing you’re waiting for more is what drives me to sit down and work on the days I would rather not.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You need more of that…” Bucky snapped his fingers. “Steve, what’s that thing Tony says Peter needs?”</p><p>“The parkour course,” Steve said.</p><p>“Yes!” Bucky said, snapping his fingers. “We need lots more of that. Believe me, the kid’s going to use it.”</p><p>The designer nodded and made a note on his clipboard. “We will need to extend the gym if we’re going to do that, and it’s already half a wing of the north side.”</p><p>“Make it a full wing,” Bucky said. “Peter deserves it.”</p><p>It amused and pleased Steve to see Bucky invested in this. They’d had come to the compound to see the development’s progress and to examine the plans. Pepper was apparently in charge of the exterior landscaping development and interior decorating scheme, but Tony made it clear this was for them all, and they needed to play their part to get what they wanted out of it.</p><p>Steve was looking forward to having the compound back. The Tool Shed was fine, but now they did not technically need to live in hiding, it meant they had freedom to find somewhere with more space. Steve was interested in the building as a whole, but Bucky was preoccupied with the gym, possibly because that was one of the parts that would matter to Peter most.</p><p>“We also need a running track outside,” Bucky went on. “A long one.”</p><p>“Of course,” the designer said, making another note.</p><p>Steve smiled to himself and looked back at the blueprints spread across the table. He was examining the center of the labs that had been planned for Tony, Bruce, and Peter to use—Peter would have his own attached to Tony’s—when his phone rang in his pocket. He excused himself, walked away to answer, checked the caller ID, and quirked an eyebrow with surprise. </p><p>“T’Challa,” he said in answer.</p><p>“Captain Rogers. How are you?”</p><p>“I’m okay,” Steve said, still puzzled. He’d not seen or spoken to T’Challa since he left after Peter’s rescue from The Raft. “How are you?”</p><p>“I am fine. I was wondering if you would be available for a visit to us, to bring Wanda.”</p><p>“Uh… sure. Any particular reason you want to see us?”</p><p>There was a pause. “I think perhaps it’s better if you see for yourself. I agreed that is what I would arrange.”</p><p>“Is it something to do with Peter?” Steve asked, suspicion prickling.</p><p>Bucky, who had been leaning his hip against the table, not paying much attention to Steve as he looked at the plans for the new compound gym, stepped closer, head tilted and eyes worried.</p><p>“Peter is fine, as far as I know,” T’Challa said. “But he is a part of this. Really, Captain, it’s better if you see for yourself. This is not something that can be explained properly, or perhaps even believed, without being seen. Will you come?”</p><p>“Yes. We’ll leave now,” Steve said. “I’ll see you soon.”</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>He ended the call and met Bucky’s intense gaze. “Peter?” he asked.</p><p>“He’s fine, I think,” Steve said. “But I think he’s been in Wakanda.”</p><p>Bucky’s eyebrows rose. “Why would he go <em>there</em>?”</p><p>“No idea,” Steve said. “Maybe he wanted to do something about the resistance.”</p><p>Bucky considered a moment and then shook his head. “No, I don’t believe that. He dealt with the threat they posed when he took out Ross. He wouldn’t go after them when the danger had passed. He probably just…” He trailed off and shook his head. “I don’t know.”</p><p>“Me either,” Steve said. “But I think we need to find out. T’Challa wants Wanda there, but I think we should all go. You call Tony, ask if he wants to come, and I’ll call back to base and tell the others to be ready for us.”</p><p>Bucky nodded and pulled out his phone as they excused themselves from the designer and developer that they’d been meeting to see the plans and have their say. They walked together out to the Quinjet they’d come in, and Steve dialed Sam’s number.</p><p>When Sam answered with a cheery, “Hey, Steve, what’s up?” he took a breath and said, “Something’s going on. We need to go to Wakanda.”</p><p>“Is it Peter?” Sam asked at once.</p><p>The fact his question had been asked with obvious tension, the same Steve felt, made it clear that Steve and Bucky weren’t the only ones in Peter’s new extended family that were concerned about him.</p><p>“He’s something to do with it,” he said. “But I don’t think he’s there. Whatever it is, Sam, I’ve got a feeling it’s big.”</p><p>Sam’s voice was curt as he said, “We’ll be ready.”</p><p>Steve ended the call and settled in the cockpit as Bucky said, “Yeah, we’ll meet you there. Let Rhodey know what’s going on,” then ended his call.</p><p>“Tony’s coming?” he asked.</p><p>“Yeah. He’s driving to the Tool Shed to meet us now. He doesn’t know what’s going on either, but he’s worried. He doesn’t understand why Peter would go back to Wakanda after what happened.”</p><p>“None of us do,” Steve said. “But I want to find out.”</p><p>After what Peter had done to Ross, what he’d proven himself capable of to them, he was curious about what would make him go back to the place he had been attacked.</p><p>With the way Peter had been before he left, the change in him, he wouldn’t be at all surprised if Peter had decided to pay T’Challa a visit to get to know him and Shuri. There wasn’t much Peter could do to surprise them anymore.</p><p>And that was both exciting and a little worrying.</p><p>xXx</p><p>Steve touched the Quinjet down and lowered the ramp, off last with Wanda, who seemed to be struggling. He was sure that it was because they were back in Wakanda, the place she'd lost the person she loved. She'd been especially happy to leave when they'd gone to the Tool Shed after Peter had been attacked.</p><p>The fact T’Challa had particularly wanted her to come was confusing and a little concerning.</p><p>As far as Steve knew, there had been no other funeral service for Vision than the burial he and the other survivors had given him, as his death had come immediately before the Snap that had created chaos. There was so much loss and confusion that they’d not given him much of a send-off either. It had just been a burial in the fields outside the city in a spot that had looked peaceful enough. They had all been careful to not allow the service to become about more than Vision, at the time still on a mission to return those had been lost, but Steve would admit his tears at the graveside had been for Bucky’s death more than Vision’s.</p><p>If T’Challa was planning some kind of service to mark Vision now, if that was perhaps an idea Peter had given him, Steve would try to deter him from it for Wanda’s sake.</p><p>They walked towards the palace as the doors opened, and T'Challa came out, flanked by Shuri and Okoye and followed by other members of the Dora Milaje. He strode towards them, hand extended to Tony, who was ahead of them.</p><p>They each greeted him in turn, and Tony asked the question on all their minds. “Obviously, it’s great to see you again, T’Challa, but is there a reason you wanted us to come? Have you seen Peter?”</p><p>“Yes,” T’Challa said, his eyes drifting past Tony to where Wanda stood at Steve’s side. “He arrived early this afternoon and told us there was something we needed to do.”</p><p>Tony raised an eyebrow, perhaps wondering, as Steve did, what Peter could want from them.</p><p>“He directed us to the eastern meadow,” T’Challa went on. “Said someone was waiting for us. He gave us no more information; he seemed to be enjoying the mystery.”</p><p>Bucky chuckled. “Sounds like him.”</p><p>“It does <em>now</em>,” T’Challa agreed. “We went, of course, and found…” He looked back over his shoulder at the closed doors and said, “We found someone. Would you like to…”</p><p>Before he could finish, the door to the palace opened, there was a voice speaking in what sounded like a warning in a Wakandan accent, and then a figure rushed out.</p><p>Steve moved forward, braced to defend, and then his legs became weak as he recognized who was coming towards him.</p><p>It was impossible as this person was dead, he’d buried his body, stood over his grave, but Vision was now very much alive.</p><p>He had the human visage Steve had seen only a few times before, his blond hair was whipped back in the breeze and speed at which he was running, and his lips were stretched into a wide smile.</p><p>There were gasps and a few cries of shock around them, but it was Wanda’s voice which was loudest, and it was her that knocked Steve’s arm aside as she ran past him, crying Vision’s name.</p><p>They met, bodies colliding, arms enveloping, and their voices babbled over each other’s as Wanda voiced her shock and Vision his happiness.</p><p>“Okay…” Bruce said slowly. “I guess we know why Peter was here.”</p><p>“You think he did this?” Sam asked. “Actually resurrected Vision?”</p><p>“Who else?” Bruce asked.</p><p>Steve's eyes moved to Tony, who was watching the reunion with a look of dumbfounded shock. Steve understood how he felt as he felt the same. Strange had said he could manipulate souls, and Steve realized now what they must mean. Hearing it and knowing the kid had done it was a whole different experience, though.</p><p>Vision and Wanda were still sharing their reunion, hands on each other’s faces and lips pressed together, and then Vision pulled back and said, “Only love. I was right; I felt only love.”</p><p>“Peter told me,” Wanda said tearfully. “He said… and I…” She choked a sob.</p><p>“Peter,” Vision said, looking past Wanda to the rest of them where they were gathered, watching them in awe. “He was the one. The person that fought with us in Berlin came to me. His suit was different, but his voice was the same. He told me he was Peter Parker, and he offered me a choice." He touched Wanda's face. "I could not refuse."</p><p>Tony moved towards them, his footsteps steady, and placed a hand on Vision’s shoulder. “Peter brought you back?” he asked, though he knew the answer already.</p><p>“Yes,” Vision said. “I was in a place that looked like the compound. I felt that I was waiting for something, and then he came. He told me I could stay and wait for Wanda to come one day, or he could take me to her. Well, he said he could facilitate a return here as there was something else he needed to do.” He looked from Tony to Wanda and kissed her again. “I told him I wanted nothing more.”</p><p>Wanda wiped at her streaming eyes and nodded. “It was all I wanted, too.”</p><p>T’Challa cleared his throat. “I thought perhaps this reunion should happen in private as Peter did not think it was a good idea for everyone to see Vision here. The resistance is still active, as we know. I suppose it’s too late, really, but shall we go inside?”</p><p>“Yes,” Steve said, looking around at the people milling at the bottom of the palace steps, watching them curiously. “That’s probably a good idea.”</p><p>T’Challa gestured them inside, and Wanda and Vision walked slowly, hands entwined and bodies pressed close.</p><p>They all walked inside to a small room with a table and chairs similar to the ones Peter had sat at when they’d seen him with the Stones through Tony’s technology. They all sat down, Wanda and Vision close enough to almost be sharing one chair, and T’Challa sitting with Shuri beside him and Okoye behind.</p><p>“I did not expect the child to be capable of this,” T’Challa said, “but I believe it reinforces what I believed about him—that he is a force for good.”</p><p>“Damn right,” Bucky muttered.</p><p>T’Challa nodded. “Aside from the show of immense power in this action, there is the fact he gave Vision a choice in whether to return.”</p><p>“I could not have chosen differently,” Vision stated. “Not when Wanda was here.” He frowned. “I do not understand how he did it, though.”</p><p>Tony blew out a long breath. “That’s a real long story, Vis. Part of it is the Mind Stone, though. Peter has it now, along with the others.”</p><p>Vision frowned. “I did not see it.”</p><p>"You wouldn't," Steve said. "He's not bearing it the same way you did. The Stones are a part of him. There was a battle in which he used the Stones to save us, and he has them now."</p><p>Vision’s eyebrows rose. “That must be very difficult for him. The Mind Stone alone was a burden, and I was not human the way he is. And he is so young.”</p><p>Tony nodded. “It is a lot, but he’s better with them now. He had his own choice not long ago, and he accepted them, embraced them, and he’s doing a lot better for it.”</p><p>"Kinda insensitive question," Bruce said, "but what are you now, Vision. Is this just how you look now, or are you all the way… human?"</p><p>“Basically human,” Shuri said. “While we waited for you to arrive, Vision allowed me to run some tests. Whatever Peter Parker did, however it worked, Vision is essentially human now.”</p><p>“I have none of the powers I had before,” Vision said. “Not flight nor strength.” He frowned slightly. “It feels very strange.”</p><p>Wanda leaned her head on his shoulder, and his frown was replaced by a smile.</p><p>Tony ran a hand over his face, and then he pulled out his phone and said, "Friday, call Pete."</p><p>There was a short pause, and then Friday replied. "No connection possible, Boss. I believe Peter is off-world again."</p><p>“Off-world?” T’Challa asked.  </p><p>Tony nodded. “Yeah, Peter’s doing some… exploring, I guess you’d call it, and obviously putting in a little work on miracles.”</p><p>“Miracles,” Wanda said quietly. “Yes. He gave me a miracle."</p><p>Steve looked between her and Vision, trying to wrap his mind around what Peter had done. To bring Vision back to life was incredible, a true gift to him and Wanda, and it was also the kindest thing he’d ever seen Peter do. It was the purest expression of who he was and how he would want to use that power. He’d reunited Wanda with the person she loved, after seeing what his absence had done to her.</p><p>Wanda had told him about the time Peter saw her memory and reassured her of Vision’s painless end. That knowledge had led Peter to save Vision, bring him back, and the most Peter Parker part of it was that he’d given him a choice. Despite what he would have wanted to do for Wanda, to ease her pain, he’d let Vision decide.</p><p>"I would like to speak more about what has happened and what Peter is capable of, but I think you deserve some time and privacy with each other," T'Challa said, looking to where Wanda and Vision were pressed together. "Perhaps it would be better for you to stay within the palace to limit how many people see you, but there are rooms for you. Okoye can show you." He looked over his shoulder. "Please take them to the western guest suite."</p><p>With a quick nod and murmur of thanks, Wanda got to her feet and held Vision’s hand as he moved to stand with her. Without a backward glance, just a shared look of adoration, they followed Okoye out of the room.</p><p>When they were gone, T’Challa placed his hands flat on the table and said, “I would like to know what has happened since I last saw you all, what Peter has done and what you believe it means.”</p><p>Tony looked down at the tabletop for a moment, brow furrowed with thought, and then he seemed to come to a decision to trust T'Challa as he raised his eyes and said, "Well, after we rescued Peter, he was in a bad way…"</p><p>Steve listened to the series of events told from Tony’s point of view, the emotion he was unable to hide as he recited the story, and he watched T’Challa’s emotions play across his face. He had a feeling it was more than curiosity that was driving T’Challa’s questions, and that made him wonder what the king was thinking.</p><p>Was he expecting something to happen that would test Peter's abilities, his power to be a force for good, or was this just a tactical gathering of knowledge?</p><p>Steve hoped for the latter but had a feeling it was going to be the former.</p><p>Trouble usually seemed to find the Avengers.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… Vision is back! At least a couple of you have asked if this would be possible with the Stones, and I am so happy to be able to do it at last. If you enjoy this reunion, I think you'll enjoy the next couple of chapters even more. I certainly enjoyed writing them.<br/>Disclaimer (kinda) — Yes, Vision should not be essentially human now, his body is partially vibranium, but I wanted him and Wanda to have human lifespans together, so I did this. Hope it’s not too glaring a deviation from canon for you to accept. <br/>Until next time…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you all so much for the comments and kudos. Each time I see your names in my inbox—familiar and new—I get a little rush of happiness. Writing this story is only half the journey—it’s posting these chapters that make it complete. I love sharing this world with you all, and I am so grateful to you for coming with me so far.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey, Nat, come eat,” Clint called.</p><p>Natasha walked away from the window and joined the rest of the family—the first family she’d been welcomed into, before the Avengers—at the table. She could feel the sun baking her back through the window, but it didn’t make her uncomfortable. There was no discomfort in this place, no pain or weariness or sadness. This was her perfect place.</p><p>Nathaniel climbed into the seat beside her and gave her a small smile. Lila and Cooper sat opposite, elbowing each other and continuing the squabble they'd been having while playing in the yard, something about who could shoot an arrow the straightest.</p><p>Natasha knew Lila was more accomplished with the bow than Cooper as she was willing to put the most time into it. Cooper was easily distracted. Lila wanted to follow in her father's footsteps and be a superhero. If Clint, Laura, and Natasha had their way, that would never happen in any world; especially not in this world where days passed by time never did, where no one aged or grew, cried or sighed. This was the perfect place.</p><p>“Behave, children,” Laura said, setting down the platter of meatloaf and bowl of green beans before taking her seat at the opposite end of the table to Clint.</p><p>“This looks great, Laura,” Clint said appreciatively as he served himself.</p><p>“Thank you,” she said demurely, though she smiled widely.</p><p>The love they showed each other was something Natasha knew she never would have had in her life or death. She was not programmed to give so much of herself to another person, to trust that completely. There had been a hint of hope in the beginning with Bruce, but what future was there ever going to be for them with their burdens? Bruce had the Hulk, and Natasha had the Red Room. Laura and Clint had each other and their children and needed nothing more, not in life and not here, the perfect place.</p><p>Nathaniel tried to spoon mashed potatoes from the bowl onto his plate, spattering the table in the process, and Natasha took the spoon and served him, returning his beaming smile with one of her own. She served herself and passed the bowl down to Clint and then took a slice of meatloaf.</p><p>Laura’s cooking was as good here as it had been in life, and Natasha relished mealtimes for the food and company. Days were spent with the children, playing in the fields of the farm, and evenings with Laura and Clint before she retired to bed to close her eyes and wake up rested, almost instantaneously, to another day in this perfect place.</p><p>They started to eat, and Natasha listened to the conversations happening around her, occasionally adding her own thoughts, enjoying the moment.</p><p>And then it all changed.</p><p>A throat was cleared behind her, and a vaguely familiar voice said, "Uh... hi. Can we talk."</p><p>She was out of her chair in an instant, reaching for a gun that wasn't there in the next, and with the next beat of her heart, she was striking out a fist to catch the jaw of the boy that had appeared.</p><p>He dodged backward, so her blow was just glancing, and then held up his hands and said, "Whoa, okay, violence is really not necessary. I'm a good guy. Look!" He patted the front of the red and blue suit he was wearing and said, "I've even got the outfit for it.”</p><p>Natasha narrowed her eyes and then connected what she was seeing to what she was hearing as a memory of like stirred in her mind.</p><p>“You’re the kid Stark brought to Berlin.”</p><p>He nodded eagerly. “I am. Spider-Man. Nice to meet you, Ms. Widow.”</p><p>Natasha quirked a brow and examined him, taking in the suit that ended at the neck, exposing the boyish face with the strangest eyes she had ever seen—they were colored like a rainbow.</p><p>“What are you?” she asked.</p><p>He blew out a breath. "That's such a big question these days. I thought it was tough when I was playing Spider-Man instead of Peter, but now, with <em>them</em>, it’s so much more complicated.”</p><p>She bunched her fists. “You don’t belong here. This is our place.”</p><p>“I know,” he said, and there was something oddly endearing about the gentle way he said it. “But I’m not here to hurt you or anyone else. I’m here to help, honest.”</p><p>Natasha prided herself on being a good judge of character. She had known that Bruce was not the monster she’d been told about, and she’d seen Tony Stark was not what he wanted everyone to believe he was in the beginning. She’d been proved correct on both counts. She’d also not trusted Rumlow, though that had been a resounding failure as she’d not acted on her instincts. But this kid, even without the fact she’d fought on the same side as him backing up her surety, seemed to have no bad intentions.</p><p>She remembered Tony’s return to earth following the Snap, the wretched words that had broken from him, “I lost the kid,” and she thought she knew now who he was talking about.</p><p>“It worked then,” she said, a thrill in her chest. “We got them all back.”</p><p>He nodded eagerly. “Yeah! I was one of the Snapped. One moment, I’m with Tony and in a lot of pain, then it felt like I slept for a few minutes before I was back, and the crazy started all over again." He huffed a laugh. "Not that that's the point. You were asking if everyone came back, which they did. We all did. You guys saved us."</p><p>“Who else died?” she asked.</p><p>“No one you knew,” Spider-Man said with a bright smile. “To be honest, we should have lost so much since the battle that followed us all coming back was kinda insane, and technically, Tony should have died, but nope, the losses were small.” He crossed his arms over his chest, and he looked smug. "We won."</p><p>She nodded, internalizing her rush of relief, and said, “So, what are you doing here? You don’t belong. Even if you were dead, too, this wouldn’t be your place.”</p><p>"Nope, not mine at all, and definitely not dead. You see…" He rubbed his nose. "The Infinity Stones are kinda mine, or I'm theirs. I'm not sure. I'm worthy. And now they're <em>in</em> me so I can use them. I’ve already helped Vision—who did not hit me, by the way.”</p><p>She smirked. “His mistake. When a kid shows up in your personal heaven, throwing punches is the thing to do.”</p><p>He laughed. “Yeah, probably. Thing is, this isn’t heaven as much as it’s the Soul Plane, and since I’ve got the Soul Stone kicking around in me, you can go, uh, back.”</p><p>Natasha’s heart skipped. “You can bring me back to life?”</p><p>"Absolutely. Like I said, I did Vision already. I went to him first as it was a bit more complicated to get you back to earth. I could have done it, but it's a rough ride, and I figured I'd spare you. But I've got some friends, or kinda friends, on their way to pick you and someone else up, so…" he spread his arms, "now's your chance."</p><p>She stared at him, trying to resolve the idea of this skinny kid with the power to bring people back to life. It just didn't work in her head. She knew size wasn't always a guide to strength. She'd seen him fight before, after all, and he was strong, but fighting a giant Ant-Man and bringing someone back to life were two very different things.</p><p>He stared at her a moment then said, “You don’t think I can do it?”</p><p>“I’m struggling with the idea, yes,” she said. “You’re… what? Fifteen?”</p><p>“Sixteen,” he said, his tone indicating that that extra year was a big deal. “And it’s not me that’s the real power behind this. It’s the Stones. I have them, <em>am</em> them, and I <em>can </em>do this. Really, Vision is probably with T’Challa already. Besides, what do you have to lose by trying?”</p><p>She looked back at the table, set with the dinner they'd been enjoying before the kid had taken away her family. She could lose this, the perfect place. After all, she'd seen and done in life, she'd thought she would end up in some kind of Hell if there was an afterlife. But she had found herself here, and she wasn't sure she wanted to leave. </p><p>“Is Clint okay?” she asked.</p><p>“Clint? Oh, Hawkeye. I’ve not seen him since the battle because he went straight home. Brooklyn—I mean Steve—said he had a hard time after the Snap. I don’t know if he’s even called since.”</p><p>Natasha nodded. Clint had an impossible time. He’d lost his wife and children to the Snap and then himself to violence and hatred. He had them back now, a miracle, but what state was he in? Could he allow himself to return to the man he'd been before, or was he haunted by the lives he'd taken?</p><p>The possibility that he couldn’t be that man again was what made her decision. If she was there, she could shake sense into him, make him embrace that man he’d been. She could save him. More, she could be back with her real family, not these facsimiles of them.</p><p>She crossed her arms over her chest. “Okay, Spider-Man, I’ll trust you. Take me back or whatever.”</p><p>He grinned and held out a hand. “It’s Peter, by the way.”</p><p>She considered a moment and then accepted his hand and shook it. “Hello, Peter. I’m Natasha.”</p><p>“Natasha. Great.” He looked around. “Okay. You might want to brace yourself. Judging from Vision’s reaction, it’s probably going to be uncomfortable.”</p><p>Natasha took a deep breath and waited. Peter took both her hands and light the same colors of his eyes spread from his chest and across her body, leaving a prickling sensation in its wake.</p><p>She felt a swoop in her stomach, and then she was gasping for air, lying on rocky ground, and her whole body was rushing with the racing of her heart.</p><p>She looked up at the almost eclipsed red sun and then closed her eyes again.</p><p>She was back, yes, alive, but on Vormir, at the place she'd fallen.</p><p>"Need help?" the cheerful voice said above her.</p><p>Her eyes opened, and she looked into Peter's smiling face. He winked at her and said, "Told you I could do it."</p><p>She huffed a laugh and got to her feet. Really, this kid, Stones or no Stones, was pretty impressive.     </p><p>xXx</p><p>“Want to tell again why we’re doing this?” Rocket asked.</p><p>Quill sighed. “Because Spider-Kid told us he needed us to pick something up and that there was something waiting for us.”</p><p>“Yeah, but <em>here</em>?” Quill said.</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>“Yes, I know it’s Vormir, Groot!” Quill growled. “And no, I don’t want to be anywhere near the place the woman I loved died either, but we’re not assholes—”</p><p>“We’re not?” Rocket asked.</p><p>“No,” Quill said. “Not all the time. We owe Spider-Kid more than a meal and location of a planet. I pay my debts.”</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>“Since now!” Quill snapped. “Besides, did you miss the part about something being there for us, too?”</p><p>“The spider boy does have many abilities apparently,” Drax said. “He could perhaps have something valuable for us.”</p><p>“I like the spider child,” Mantis said. “He saved me when we fought Thanos. I think we should help him.”</p><p>Quill tuned out Rocket’s irritable reply and concentrated on the next wormhole jump.</p><p>He did not want to go to Vormir, not even a little, but he felt he somehow needed to go. The kid seemed so eager when he asked, said something was there for them, and Quill trusted him to deliver. That was weird as he didn’t trust anyone outside his small and strange family. There was something about the kid, though… Something that made Quill think this was worth the journey and pain of being on Vormir.</p><p>"One last jump and we'll be there," he said, guiding the ship towards the wormhole and increasing their speed.</p><p>They passed through, and Quill saw the planet before them. It was a rusty purple in the light of the red sky, and he felt a swoop in his stomach. This was the last place Gamora had been, where she’d lost her life. He felt a whole new trepidation about what he was doing.</p><p>He landed them smoothly and got up from his seat. “You don’t have to come out with me,” he said. “I figure I’ll find whatever the kid left for us, and we can get out of here.”</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>“Sure, you’re curious,” Quill said. “Figures. But what I said stands. No one has to come.”</p><p>Without waiting for a reply, he opened the rear hatch and walked off the ship. The place they’d landed looked barren and devoid of anything that the kid could have left for them, but it was a big planet, and he figured they’d have to look for it.</p><p>He heard footsteps joining him on the sand and rocky ground, and he turned to see them all following him. Rocket was trailing behind, grumbling to himself, but he'd come. Quill figured his presence was borne of curiosity, too, or perhaps the chance to mock him.</p><p>Quill led them without speaking, but Groot and Drax were talking behind him. They’d gone on a few minutes when Rocket said, “Hold on,” and Quill stopped and turned.</p><p>Rocket’s head was tilted to the side, his eyes narrowed. “I hear something,” he said. “A voice.”</p><p>Rocket’s hearing was the acutest of them all, and Quill trusted him.</p><p>“Do you know who it is?" he asked.</p><p>"Damn right, I do," Rocket said. "But it's a voice that can't be here." He considered a moment, then lifted his gun and said, "So let's find out what's going on."</p><p>“Who is it?” Quill asked.</p><p>“The Black Widow,” Rocket said tersely. “Which is impossible since she’s dead.”</p><p>“Maybe she’s a ghost,” Drax suggested. “I’ve never met a ghost.”</p><p>“I am Groot.”</p><p>“Exactly,” Rocket said. “So, we need to be ready to kill if it <em>is</em> a trap."</p><p>Quil adjusted his grip on his blaster, and they set off again, grouped further apart now, so they were not an easy target for whoever they were about to face.</p><p>They’d gone on a little further, moving towards a towering monolith of purple rock, when Rocket came to a dead stop and said, “Okay, this is either a <em>really </em>good trick, and we pissed her off somehow, or…” He shook his head. “It’s got to be a trick.”</p><p>Before Quill could say anything, he saw movement ahead, and he came to a dead stop for a moment before he realized what was happening.</p><p>Gamora had just stepped around the monolith rock. For an instant, he saw the woman he loved again, and his heart yearned for her, and then he realized the sense of what he was seeing. That was not his Gamora; it had to be the time-jump version that had taken off on him.</p><p>Then a second figure appeared, and Rocket called, “One question, Natasha. PB&amp;J—strawberry or grape?”</p><p>The woman smirked. “Are you being intentionally insulting, Rocket?”</p><p>“Answer,” he snapped.</p><p>“Strawberry is for cowards. Grape is for assholes. It’s got to be raspberry.”</p><p>Rocket stared a moment and then ran forward. It looked at though he was going to embrace the woman, but he came to a dead stop in front of Gamora and spoke in a rush. “Is it you-you or new-you? Because if Nat’s here, and you’re here, you might be— Which one are you?”</p><p>“I have no idea who new-you is, but it’s me, Rocket. Some kid in Spandex saved brought me back.”</p><p>“Same,” the woman named Natasha replied.</p><p>Quill's mouth dropped open, and his heart stopped for the space of a handful of beats and then began to race. Gamora was staring at him, her eyes holding the same deep need he felt, but he couldn't move and break the illusion of what he thought he was seeing.</p><p>It wasn’t impossible.</p><p>Sure, maybe Peter could disappear in an instant, he’d seen that, but bringing back the dead was impossible. It had to be. If it was real, it meant the universe was giving Quill a gift, and he had a lifetime of evidence that told him that would never happen. </p><p>Rocket threw his arms around Gamora’s legs and made a small contented sound, and then stepped quickly back and cleared his throat, obviously embarrassed by his show of emotion.</p><p>Gamora smiled down at him and then patted Groot's cheek as he moved to her side. Quill stood immobile as Gamora was greeted by Drax and Mantis, and then, as her eyes fell on him, he walked forwards until he was a few feet away from her his hands were clenching and relaxing as he fought the need to grab at her—knowing that would end with him being punched.</p><p>“It’s really me,” she said.</p><p>He nodded and swallowed hard. “Spider-Kid brought you back?”</p><p>“He did. He offered me a choice—that place or here with you. I chose you.”</p><p>Quill nodded again, unable to move, and then started as Rocket shouted, “Dammit, just kiss her, you idiot!”</p><p>As if the instruction was what his body needed to unlock, he stepped forward and pulled Gamora close. His lips slammed against hers, and he didn’t even care that she was going to give him a black eye for this. She didn’t react at first, still against him, and then her lips parted, and she was kissing him back.</p><p>He heard Drax guffaw and Groot grumble about too much tongue, but he didn’t care. He was wholly absorbed in Gamora.</p><p>There was nothing but her for a moment before a strong hand grabbed his shoulder and shoved him away. He turned to snap at whoever had interrupted them, but the woman that had been waiting with Gamora, Natasha, was glaring at him, and there was something in her eyes that made Quill think he might still end this reunion with a black eye.</p><p>“You can do that later,” she said. “I need a ride back to earth.”</p><p>Quill cleared his throat and nodded. “Sure, yeah, I can do that. Where do you want to go?”</p><p>“Missouri,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “There’s people waiting for me there.”</p><p>xXx</p><p>Clint pulled open the door and said, “I’m going out to get some wood.”</p><p>“Make sure you’re covered up,” Laura called back. “It’s been raining.”</p><p>“Got it.”</p><p>He took his down coat from the hook, pulled it on and zipped it, then went out to the chilly air. It wasn’t raining now, it was a brief reprieve that would end soon, but it was still cold. He burrowed deeper in his coat, feeling the warmth in both the thick fabric and the reminder that Laura had given him to wear it—that she was there to tell him again.</p><p>Having his family back was amazing, he was elated, but there was also a bone-deep sadness at what it had cost to get them and what they had come home to.</p><p>He was not the same man he'd been before. He played the part, the husband and father, and he loved them more than ever, but the shadows in his past of the murders he'd committed when they were gone were still rooted deep.</p><p>The deaths he’d caused during those five long years weren’t close to the first on his tally. He’d been a SHIELD agent most of his life, and then an Avenger—Hydra agents and aliens had died at his hands. That had been about orders, though. He’d done what he was told to do. The killing spree he’d gone on after losing his family, though none of them had been innocents, weighed on him.</p><p>That was only part of the pain. It was the death of someone he loved that hurt the most. He had not held on tight enough, been fast enough. It should have been him that was sacrificed for the Soul Stone. He was the one that had deserved to die. He would have done it willingly, he'd tried. If his life was the price of his family coming back and Natasha living, it was nothing.</p><p>If she’d lived, Natasha would have taken care of his family as she loved them almost as much as he did. She would have made Laura understand and comforted her and the children through their grief. But that had not happened. He had lived, and she died. He'd come home to find his world returned to him, but it came with a hole in the shape of his partner of years, his other half in the battlefield, his best friend—it cost Natasha.</p><p>He walked down the steps and onto the wet grass, his boots slipping, into the barn to collect the wood from where it had been stacked. He grabbed the basket and began to load it with chopped logs, and then stopped dead and focused his senses on his surroundings.</p><p>He'd heard something, he knew, and he sensed someone there now. He set down the basket and stretched his back as if easing stiffness. Then, he turned, fists bunched to strike, cursing the fact he’d not brought out a gun. He was not usually armed at home, not with the children running around, as they’d always been safe there before.</p><p>"Come out," he growled, bracing himself to launch an attack.</p><p>In response, there was a soft laugh, and a voice that was both miraculous and impossible said, "Calm down, Clint. If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already."</p><p>Clint sucked in a breath and then blinked rapidly to clear his vision as the hallucination stepped around the tractor and came to a stop in front of him, her hands relaxed at her sides and her lips quirked with a small smile.</p><p>“Nat?”</p><p>She nodded. “In the flesh.”</p><p>“How? I mean… What… Are you real?”</p><p>Her smile widened, and she walked towards him. He was frozen into inaction, unable to resist as she touched his shoulder and then spun him so that his cheek was pressed against the rough wood of the barn wall and his arms were pinned behind his back.</p><p>“You’re getting sloppy without me,” she said in his ear. </p><p>Clint breathed out in a rush. He could feel her hands on his wrists, her breath on his cheek as she leaned close; her hair tickled his ear.</p><p>“When your best friend comes back from the dead, you’re allowed to be sloppy,” he said breathily.</p><p>She released him and stepped back. He turned around and threw his arms around her. She stiffened at first, and then, with a soft laugh, she relaxed and embraced him in return.</p><p>“Damn, Nat,” he whispered. “You’re really here.”</p><p>“I am.”</p><p>“How did this happen.”</p><p>She held him a little tighter and then released him, stepped back, and said, “You remember the kid Stark brought to Berlin? Spider-Man?”</p><p>“Yeah. He was on the battlefield, too. He’s the one that saved us.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Of course, you wouldn’t know. After we snapped everyone back, Thanos showed up with a huge army that almost tore us apart. We were trying to keep the gauntlet and Stones away from him, and the kid put it on and snapped. He destroyed Thanos and his whole army.”</p><p>Natasha huffed a laugh. “I’d say that’s too crazy to be true, but the kid just arrived in my personal heaven and offered to bring me back to life. Since I’m here, I’m pretty sure there’s nothing too crazy left in the world.”</p><p>“Damn,” Clint breathed. “I can’t believe you’re really here.”</p><p>“I know you’ve always been a bit slow, too many bangs to the head, but I am here. This isn’t some kind of hallucination from yet another concussion.” She grinned. “Now, tell me you’ve got something to eat because I’m starving. The kid left me on Vormir with a group of lunatics for a ride home, and their rations are… Well, they’re gross. I’m starving.”</p><p>“Food!” Clint nodded eagerly. “Yeah. Sure. Whatever you want.”</p><p>“A sandwich will be fine.”</p><p>Clint laughed. “Nat, you can have a sandwich, but Laura is going to be cooking up your favorite as soon as she knows you’re here.”</p><p>“Mmm, lasagna,” she said, patting her stomach. “Just out of curiosity, do you have any idea how we’re supposed to explain that fact I’m here? I’m guessing you didn’t tell them I was on vacation.”</p><p>Clint’s face fell. “No. Damn. I told then what happened. The kids got the sterile version, that you died saving to save them and me, but yeah, they think you’re dead.” He flinched as he remembered the tears and cries of pain the news had launched. “I guess we’ll have to come up with something.”</p><p>Natasha nudged his shoulder with a fist. "I was stuck on a different planet for however long it's been, and I was just rescued. They'll believe that." She winked. "Your kids already know you're an idiot."</p><p>Clint ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, they do. I get a lot more respect from Stark than I do my own kids, and that’s saying something.”</p><p>“Stark? The kid said something about him. He said he could have died. Is he okay?”</p><p>Clint frowned. “He could have died? Huh. He was okay last time I saw him. All in all, we got off lucky according to some people.”</p><p>“Not you?” she asked.</p><p>Clint frowned. “Nat, you <em>died</em>. There was nothing I’d call lucky in that.”</p><p>She shrugged. “I’m back now. Now, wipe your eyes, crybaby, and let's get me some food."</p><p>Clint swiped away the tears he hadn’t been aware of shedding, and then led her out of the barn and towards the house. She hesitated at the door, looking uncharacteristically anxious, and he went on in and called, “Laura, kids, look who I found lurking in the barn.”</p><p>Laura was first there, her hand flying to her chest and her mouth dropping open. Then Cooper and Lila were in the living room doorway, Nathaniel a little behind them, and the air was filled with cries of shock and happiness, tears of joy. Natasha disappeared under a herd of running hugs and exclamations of shock.</p><p>Clint took a deep breath, feeling the air reach deep into his lungs for the first time since Vormir, and the ache in his bones disappeared at last.</p><p>She was back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… Natasha is back, too! Even after I decided this was going to be a series not a solo story, Natasha and Vision were supposed to appear much earlier. Vision was supposed to be back after Peter saw Wanda’s memory of Vision’s death in With Great Power. It was too soon, though—Peter wasn’t ready. I’m sorry for the wait, but I hope it was worth it. And what do you think of that final scene? That was a last minute addition when I was writing Story IV. I realized the rules I was working with didn’t track, so I needed to come back and alter to make that plot work.<br/>I posted started posting a prequel to this series yesterday. It’s called Finding Something To Fight For, and it addresses Tony’s time from immediately after he returns from Titan to Morgan’s birth and how he deals with life without Peter. It’s a short story but I think it adds a little more richness to the series.<br/>Until next time…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Monday. <br/>It’s not a happy one for me, so I figured an update might help. I am struggling with Story V and I’ve got big misgivings about Story IV. It’s written, but I’m not sure it’s good enough to actually post. I don’t have the same good feeling and pride in it I’ve had with I-III. I think it adds to the series, but I am not sure what to do about the problems. I’m hoping Rjcarreno77 and KScullen will have answers for me when they pre-read. <br/>If you enjoy, please drop me a line, since I could do with the positivity today.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Doctor Stephen Strange was sitting at his desk in the study of the New York Sanctum. He had piles of scrolls in front of him that he was working through slowly, struggling with the tiny script and arcane language. He was tired, and a pressure headache was building behind his eyes, so he was glad when came an interruption in the form of a knock on the door.</p><p>“Come in,” he said.</p><p>Wong pushed open the door, a small smile in place. “You have a visitor?”</p><p>Strange raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t expecting anyone, and it wasn’t often that anyone visited the Sanctum. “Who is it?”</p><p>Wong's lips twitched, and he said, "Perhaps you should see for yourself."</p><p>Frowning, Strange rolled up the scrolls and neatened them before nodding and saying, “Send them in.”</p><p>Wong held the door open and said, “Go on in.”</p><p>Stephen Strange blinked as Peter Parker strode in, smile in place, and came to a stop a few feet from the desk, a distance that seemed almost designed to make Stephen Strange more comfortable.</p><p>“Hey, Doctor Strange," he said cheerfully.</p><p>"Mr. Parker," Strange said cautiously. "What can I do for you?"</p><p>“I thought we should talk.”</p><p>“You want me to stay?” Wong asked.</p><p>Strange considered and then shook his head. “No need.”</p><p>The kid looked back and gave Wong a small wave, a bright, friendly smile curling his lips. Wong looked between them, then slipped out and closed the door.</p><p>“What do you want, Mr. Parker?” Strange asked.</p><p>Peter looked at him a moment, a small frown between his eyebrows, and then he seemed to come to some realization. His smile faded, though his obvious confidence didn't waver. He grabbed a chair from beside the fireplace, a heavy wingback leather piece, and carried it to in front of Strange's desk with no obvious effort.</p><p>He sat down, made himself comfortable, and then said, "I figured you deserved to know that you were right about my me and the power."</p><p>Strange nodded slowly and sat down, wanting to look at ease, too. “I know I was. I saw what happened to Former President Ross. I am assuming that’s your doing?”</p><p>Peter grinned. “Yep.”</p><p>“You used the Stones to control his mind?”</p><p>“No! Not even close. I just… uh… removed him from office and placed him in protective isolation. No mind control involved.”</p><p>“Then how did you do it?”</p><p>Peter leaned back in his seat and said, with obvious pride, "I had help, but basically, I grabbed him out of his bedroom in the White House and took him off-planet. The speech you saw was nothing to do with me—that was all Director Fury and his Skrull friend, Talos."</p><p>Strange narrowed his eyes. “Then how was I right?”</p><p>Peter shrugged. “Because I <em>can</em> do all the things you read about, the things you were trying to warn us of. I can probably do a lot more you don’t know about. I haven’t used the power to hurt anyone at all, and I never would, but I figured you deserved to know.”</p><p>“Power can corrupt,” Strange stated.</p><p>He nodded slowly. “It can, and I can’t swear it won’t corrupt me, but it hasn’t yet. For my part, I don’t think it will. I’ve been in places that tempt me to use the Stones for evil, like facing Ross, but I didn’t.”</p><p>“What is your argument with Ross?”</p><p>The kid's face fell. "He had me kidnapped and tortured, and he used brainwashing to turn me into a weapon—which I had to beat. That was bad, almost destroyed me, but what was worse was that they pointed a gun at my sister, who is four years old, to make me 'comply.'</p><p>Strange’s eyebrows rose. “Ross did <em>that</em>?”</p><p>“He did—him and a man called Thuri. Ross is trapped on a planet with uncomfortable living conditions. He got what he deserved.”</p><p>Strange actually thought Ross deserved far worse than that for what Peter had done, and he wondered if he would have done worse in his position. He thought perhaps he would, which made him wonder if Stark had been right about the kid when he defended him.</p><p>Perhaps.</p><p>“So, you came to me to tell me I was right?” he asked. “That you hold unimaginable power?”</p><p>“Yep. And I am in control of it. I can <em>tell</em> you that I won’t abuse it, but I don’t think I can really convince you. That’s not the point, though—I wanted to offer you something that Time said you’d like.”</p><p>“Which is?”</p><p>“A chance to travel through time with me. All the Stones were taken out of time to be used against Thanos, and they should be returned. I’ve done most of them, but there’s one left.”</p><p>“You returned the Stones? Then how do you hold their power still?”</p><p>Peter waved a hand through the air. “When I say returned, I mean… uh… linked them to me. I created a conduit between myself and the power to the places they belong. It wasn’t that hard; they explained it really well to me. The one that’s left is the Time Stone, and, before you, it was held by…”</p><p>“The Ancient One,” Strange said, bowing his head as the memory of her washed over him. “Yes.”</p><p>“And Time said you might like a chance to see her.”</p><p>Strange felt a prickling behind his eyes that he quashed with supreme effort. “I would like that, yes.”</p><p>Peter’s face brightened. “Great. Let’s go.”</p><p>Strange frowned. “Just like that? Now?”</p><p>“Well, I guess we could have a coffee first, or I could eat, I’m kinda hungry… It’s up to you. Whenever you’re ready?”</p><p>Strange considered. Though it was perhaps naïve given his own knowledge of power, it seemed odd that the kid was just offering him this gift and that there was not going to be more preparation or discussion.</p><p>“No, we can go now.”</p><p>Peter got to his feet and rooted in his pocket. He pulled out a piece of quartz. He rolled it in his hands as if warming it, and said, “You might want to close your eyes. This will be bright.”</p><p>Strange ignored the warning, wanting to see whatever it was happen.</p><p>The kid closed his hands over the crystal, his brow furrowed, and then a rush of green light burgeoned from the center of his chest and siphoned into the quartz. It grew brighter and brighter, and Strange bought up a hand to shade his eyes. He felt a rush of heat on his face, which grew and faded, replaced by a cool rush of air.</p><p>Strange lowered his hand and looked at the stone in the kid’s hand. It was not quite the shape of the Time Stone he himself had borne, but the color was perfect, and it seemed to radiate that same vibration of power that it had before.</p><p>“It’s ready,” Peter said brightly. “Are you?”</p><p>Strange cleared his throat and nodded. “I am.”</p><p>At his collar, his cape twitched, and he tugged it around himself a little closer. Peter came towards him, placed a hand on his shoulder, and said, “Brace yourself. It’s rough.”</p><p>Strange felt a twist in his stomach, a feeling of weightlessness as rainbow colors rushed over him. Then his feet were slammed into a wooden floor in a familiar room—the very room he'd just left, in fact, though with subtle differences and a different person in his place behind the desk.</p><p>It was the Ancient One, and as she looked up and took them in—Stephen Strange and the kid with the rainbow eyes and a stone in his hand—a small smile lifted her lips. “I wondered how long it would take,” she said.</p><p>“Out of curiosity, how long has it been?” Peter asked. “I knew when it was taken from, and I tried to get back as close as I could, but I guess I’m technically on my learners permit still for time travel, so might have messed it up.”</p><p>The Ancient One shook her head, a look of fond amusement on her face. “It has only been a week. The cleanup in the city after the battle has barely begun, and The Avengers are still giving press conferences.”</p><p>Peter grinned. “I bet Tony’s loving that.”</p><p>She nodded. “Yes. The most experienced of them all in the spotlight it is creating the most drama.”</p><p>He laughed. “Figures.”</p><p>She turned to Strange and said, “I didn’t expect to see you, and I didn’t expect either of you to come with this mode of transportation. You did not use the same technology as Dr. Banner when he came, did you?”</p><p>“No,” Strange said, his voice a little hoarse.</p><p>It was hard for him to see the woman he’d admired and cared about again when he remembered her end. She seemed perfectly self-possessed, though he supposed to her, he was a stranger.</p><p>Her eyes met his, and Peter looked away, apparently surveying the shelves of books.</p><p>“You, the you of this time, are very busy at the moment, aren’t you, Doctor Strange?” she asked.</p><p>He nodded. “I worked double shifts to help the injured.”</p><p>“Admirable.” She stared at him a moment and then moved her gaze to Peter. “That is not the Time Stone that I gave to Doctor Banner.”</p><p>“Nope, but it works just the same,” Peter said easily.</p><p>“Why is it not the same?”</p><p>Peter glanced at Strange and said, “You want to tell the story? You’ve done the most research, after all.”</p><p>Strange thought there was accusation in his voice, but his face was serene.</p><p>"There was a great battle," he said. "The Infinity Stones were held within a gauntlet which an enemy was trying to retrieve. During the course of the battle, it fell into the hands of Peter Parker"—he gestured to the kid—"who proceeded to use it to recreate the Snap which had caused so much devastation to the universe. That destroyed the enemy, but it also caused the Stones to merge with Peter and gave him the power of them all."</p><p>The Ancient One's lips parted, and then she gave a soft laugh. "So that's what I sense. I see. That is an unimaginable amount of power for one person to hold."</p><p>“Yes, it is,” Peter said evenly. “But it’s under control now.” He paused. “Under <em>my </em>control.”</p><p>She stared at him a moment. “I see.”</p><p>Strange was pleased to see someone else without the unusual confidence in the kid and his control. It was refreshing. Everyone else, with the exception of the god that had left soon after, seemed enchanted by him and to have complete faith in his abilities.</p><p>Peter obviously sensed her mood as he gave a small sigh and said, “Anyway, here’s the Stone.”</p><p>He held it out, and after a moment, she took it and appraised it. “I sense the same power,” she said. “It has the same abilities?”</p><p>Peter nodded. “It does. That Stone will connect you to me and the real Stone. Technically, none of the Stones exist as physical things anymore; it’s not like I’ve got rocks in my chest. I <em>am </em>the Stones, and that connects me to you. It is basically the same thing.”</p><p>She turned it in her hand and then placed it on the desk. “Thank you for returning it to me.”</p><p>Peter shrugged. “Well, Time said it was important, and I figured Doctor Strange deserved a trip to see you.” He smiled. “You’re satisfied with it?”</p><p>“I am,” she said.</p><p>“Great.” He looked back to Strange. “You want to hang around for a while? Catch up, or is it not really catch up as much as catch ahead? I mean, you know her, but she doesn't know you so…" He shrugged. "I can go look around the city a little—maybe catch one of those press conferences. I didn't see much of the damage in person last time since May and Ben kept me locked down in Queens."</p><p>“Yes,” The Ancient One said before Strange could answer. “We would both appreciate the chance. Give us perhaps three hours?”</p><p>“Sure,” Peter said. “Have fun.” He gave them both a small wave and then left the room, clicking the door closed behind him.</p><p>Strange turned back to the Ancient One and said, “You wish to talk to me?”</p><p>She nodded. “I wish to talk about that child. I understand you have concerns.”</p><p>“Yes, and I assume you do.”</p><p>She frowned a moment. “Not concerns exactly, but I would like to discuss the situation. Perhaps we can ease each other’s minds now we have the Time Stone again.”</p><p>Strange saw what he was offering him, a chance to see what could come, and then he said, “Yes, I think that would help.</p><p>xXx</p><p>When Peter Parker returned exactly three hours later, knocking on the study door and entering at The Ancient One’s invitation, Doctor Strange saw him in a very different way.</p><p>Together, he and The Ancient One had searched through many futures of Peter and the Stones, and nothing they saw was a risk to the world from him. Though they could not see all paths, only where they ended, there was one thing for sure.</p><p>The Stones were safe with Peter Parker, but Peter Parker was not safe with them. In each iteration they saw, with only one exception, he was the sacrifice that was demanded for the sake of the universe.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… That was Doctor Strange. It was the toughest of all the chapters for this story. He’s such a hard character to write. I am well aware that it’s probably lacking, and I’m sorry for it. I did my best, though. <br/>Oh yeah… the ominous ending… sorry? ;-)<br/>Until next time…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you all for the support for the last chapter. I really needed a lift, and you all provided that. It was great to hear from some new names, too. I love that so many of you are coming on this wild ride with me. The fact you’ve trusted me this far means a great deal. I’ve noticed that Irondad tends to have shorter stories, and the fact you’ve already stuck with for nearly 200k worth of story and the knowledge that there’s three more stories to come is amazing. I promise to do my best not to disappoint with that’s to come. <br/>I like this chapter as we have some more family time – and a not too ominous ending to tie things off ;-) I hope you enjoy xxx</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony sat beside Steve as he slowly lowered the Quinjet in the field across from the farmhouse that they had not seen in a very long time, not since they had come here for sanctuary during the Ultron debacle.</p><p>They were all nervous coming here—and confused. Clint had called Steve and told him it was important they come—all of them. As much as some of them wanted to see Clint, they were worried about the reaction they were going to get. They had Vision with them, returned to life by Peter, but they didn’t have Natasha. That absence was all that Clint was going to see.</p><p>Tony had advised against bringing Vision at all, but Steve had pointed out that they’d have to tell Clint what had happened, and perhaps seeing him and Wanda together, their happiness, would take some of the sting of his loss.</p><p>The joy shared between Wanda and Vision was a palpable thing. Tony had never seen Wanda so happy, not even close, and Vision shared that. He was so much more human now—according to Shuri, almost wholly human despite his vibranium body. His emotional connections that had always seemed dulled by his pragmatic mind were now what you saw when you looked him in the eye.</p><p>In a way, he reminded Tony of Morgan. Her love for the people in her life was never hidden. The fact she had bonded with Peter so fast was evidence of that. He'd been a face and a name before, and then a word—brother, but as soon as she'd met him, she'd given him her a piece of her heart and taken his in return. Morgan held nothing back, and Vision seemed to be the same now.</p><p>It was a little strange at first to hear Vision's softer voice, more human phrasing—perhaps even stranger than accepting his return at all—but he'd gotten used to it. Vision was now one of them in a way he'd not been before.</p><p>Tony was curious to see what connection, if any, there would be when Peter came back to them, which would hopefully be soon.</p><p>Vision had been back a week, and it had been five weeks since they last saw Peter. He was busy doing whatever it was he did when he was gone—the things apart from raising the dead—and Tony's messages were only delivered occasionally when he came back to earth. Tony was a little disappointed he'd not come to see them when he was there, but he supposed Peter had things to do.</p><p>They’d all made the trip to Clint’s apart from Rhodey, as he was now back under the Air Force payroll and command. He was currently in DC at Bolling Air Force Base, helping the troops that had returned after the Snap adjust to duty again and assisting the new influx of recruits they'd had following them return. Many people had taken the initiative to join the military in an attempt to make sense of what had happened and have a part in protecting the country if something similar happened again.</p><p>Tony missed his friend, but Rhodey seemed happy doing what he was, and he stayed in touch.</p><p>In fact, things were settling back into how they'd been for Tony before the return. He spent time working with Pepper on issues that occurred with Stark Industries, and he worked out the glitches in Connections Corp, which was still reuniting people on a daily basis. When he wasn't working, he poured his days into Morgan and his evenings into Pepper. The nights, when he struggled to sleep sometimes, were spent creating a new suit for Peter in case there was any need of it—which they all hoped and prayed there would not be.</p><p>Steve touched them down and lowered the ramp. Tony got out of his seat and said, “Wanda, Vis, stay here for a while. We’ll let Clint know what’s happened, give him a chance to wrap his head around it, feel his feelings, and then we can all talk.”</p><p>Wanda nodded, eyes thoughtful, but Vision smiled and pulled her closer, apparently content to have time with her without them all there.</p><p>Steve led the way off the jet, Sam and Bucky a step behind him, and Bruce and Tony bringing up the rear.</p><p>The door opened before they reached it, and Clint came out. He had his arms crossed over his chest, and his face was a blank mask—a product of his SHIELD training and years as a spy. Tony wondered for a moment if there was a more important reason for him to ask them to come, trouble, but he couldn’t think what it could be that he’d want the Avengers with them for.</p><p>Clint walked down his steps and greeted Steve and Sam with a handshake. Bucky gave him a nod. He looked past them to Tony, and something in his eyes flickered, a small instance of emotion that Tony could not define. Things had not been good with them since Berlin and Clint's following stint on The Raft, and the time they'd spent together following that had been intense with their plan to undo the Snap. They'd not had time to talk alone together outside simple discussion of what they were doing.  </p><p>“How’s the family?” Steve asked.</p><p>Clint’s face softened into a smile. “They’re good, really good. Happy.”</p><p>“And you?” Sam asked.</p><p>Clint shrugged. “Mostly okay. Day’s are fine, busy with family. The nights are harder. You don’t spend five years doing what I was doing without racking up some nightmares.”</p><p>Sam nodded sympathetically, and Tony thought he was about to make an offer of support, perhaps his own form of therapy, but Clint went on.</p><p>“I wanted to see you all because something happened.”</p><p>“Trouble?” Tony asked. </p><p>Clint shook his head, a gleam in his eyes, and then he whistled around his fingers.</p><p>There was a huff of annoyance from their left, coming from inside the barn, and then a figure stepped into the light, and Tony huffed a shocked laugh and muttered, "Damn, Pete."</p><p>Natasha Romanoff stepped towards them, her eyes on Clint as she snapped, “I’m not a dog, Barton. Next time you’ll be whistling around my fist.” She looked around, taking in their faces, some shocked and others—Tony’s included—slightly smug at the evidence of another miracle Peter had performed.</p><p>Steve said her name doubtfully, and then he was crossing the grass and throwing his arms around her. She stiffened for a moment, and then relaxed and embraced him in return.</p><p>“Hey, Steve,” she said.</p><p>“So, you see why I wanted you to come,” Clint said, the mask gone and a look of genuine happiness mixed with smugness on his face.</p><p>"Yeah, we do," Bruce said, crossing to greet Natasha with his own hug, which dwarfed her proud frame.</p><p>Clint watched them and said, “You want to tell them what happened, Nat?”</p><p>“I think we already know,” Bucky said, his lips curled with a smile. </p><p>Clint frowned. “You do? You mean this was some kind of plot you all cooked up? And you didn’t think to give me a head’s up?”</p><p>“It wasn’t us,” Tony said, then raised his voice. “Vis, you want to get out here.”</p><p>Vision and Wanda walked down the ramp of the jet, hands entwined, and Clint cursed. “Well, there goes my thunder.”</p><p>“<em>Your</em> thunder?” Natasha asked.</p><p>Clint shrugged. “I’d have enjoyed telling them more than you.”</p><p>Natasha laughed. “You probably would.” She looked to Vision as she reached him and said, “Kid in Spandex arrived and gave you a choice?”</p><p>Vision nodded. “Yes. Peter Parker offered me life, and I accepted.”</p><p>“Ditto,” Natasha said, then her eyes fell on Tony. “You want to tell me how the kid that fought with us in Berlin, strong, fast, but nothing exceptional, is now able to resurrect people?”</p><p>Tony sighed. “It’s a long story, but, yeah, you’ll hear it.”</p><p>“Come on in,” Clint said. “Laura’s taken the kids into town. They want to make Nat another homecoming cake. It’ll be the third.”</p><p>Natasha laughed. “It’s all an excuse to eat cake, but I don’t see you complaining.”</p><p>Clint shrugged. “I like cake.”</p><p>They followed him into the house to the dining room, where they all settled around the table.</p><p>“What do Laura and the kids think happened?” Steve asked. “Didn’t you tell them Nat had died?”</p><p>"I did, which was one of the hardest things I've ever done.” He gave Natasha a heavy look, and she nodded. "But they think I'm an idiot, so they just figure I wasn't paying enough attention."</p><p>“Seriously?” Sam asked.</p><p>Natasha shook her head. “No. They do know he’s an idiot, but we told them he thought I was dead after the fall but that I was found and rescued by those Guardians—Rocket’s friends. It’s not far off what happened since they’re the ones that got me back to earth. Peter said he couldn’t do it as the ride with him would be rough.” She steepled her hands under her chin. “So how is it possible that he did this?”</p><p>“The Infinity Stones,” Steve replied.</p><p>"What happened with them?" Clint asked. "He did the Snap, and I heard he was still alive, but I didn't hear anything else after I came here."</p><p>“No,” Sam said. “We thought it was better to leave you in peace with your family.”</p><p>"Appreciate it," Clint said. "But what happened? I told Nat about the battle and the kid's Snap, but after that, I was in the dark."</p><p>“He has the Infinity Stones,” Tony said. “They’re in him, or a part of him, and he can use them. And the things he can do are just… He’s amazing, and strong and powerful, and kind...”</p><p>Steve and Bucky’s heads snapped right, and a wide smile spread over Bucky’s face. “We’ve got a visitor,” he said.</p><p>Leaving the questions behind him unanswered, Steve went to the door and opened it. Tony heard his huffed laugh and the greeting that made his own smile spread and moved him to his feet to greet his son.</p><p>“Hey, Brooklyn.”</p><p>xXx</p><p>Peter arrived in the field outside the farmhouse behind the Quinjet. He'd made a point of checking where to come this time and found everyone together except Rhodey, who was in DC. Peter had checked in on him and saw that he was giving a speech to some airmen. He'd gone unseen, just smiled at the sight of his friend, and then left again.</p><p>He walked towards the large house, hearing the voices inside talking. There was a note of tension in Natasha’s voice as she asked how he’d done it, presumably brought her back, but Steve’s reply held a note of pride.  </p><p>“The Infinity Stones.”</p><p>"What happened with them?" he heard a new voice ask. "He did the Snap, and I heard he was still alive, but I didn't hear anything else after I came here."</p><p>Peter realized that was Hawkeye.</p><p>“No,” Sam said. “We thought it was better to leave you in peace with your family.”</p><p>"Appreciate it," Hawkeye replied. "But what happened? I told Nat about the battle and the kid's Snap, but after that, I was in the dark."</p><p>“He has the Infinity Stones,” Tony said with unmistakable pride and fondness. “They’re in him, or a part of him, and he can use them. And the things he can do are just… He’s amazing, and strong and powerful, and kind...”</p><p>Peter gave a small unwilling laugh. To hear Tony talking about him like this was a surreal experience; it reminded him of the way he'd spoken when Space had enabled him to watch their conversation about him and the Stones in Wakanda.</p><p>He knew at once he’d been heard as Bucky said, “We’ve got a visitor.”</p><p>There were footsteps approaching, and Peter made his way to the door, waiting as it opened, and then Steve beamed at him.</p><p>Peter grinned. “Hey, Brooklyn.”</p><p>Steve patted him on the shoulder. “Hey, Queens.”</p><p>Tony brushed past Steve and pulled Peter into a hug. Peter relished the embrace and then ducked his head as Tony pulled back, hands on his shoulders, and said, “A month, Peter! Where have you been? You said you’d visit!”</p><p>"Sorry," Peter said repentantly. "It's hard to keep track of how long it's been when I'm using Time," he said. "I get kinda lost."</p><p>Tony lifted Peter’s chin with a finger and said, “In future, make sure you make regular trips back to earth so you can pick your messages up. Your sister isn’t happy.”</p><p>“I’ll go see her next,” Peter promised.</p><p>Tony nodded, satisfied, and then said, “Get your ass in here. We’re talking about you.”</p><p>“I heard,” Peter said.</p><p>He took a seat beside Bruce, opposite Natasha, who gave him a small smile, and then turned as Hawkeye said, "So, you're Peter Parker, Spider-Man, the miracle worker."</p><p>Peter felt heat flush his cheeks. “It’s not a miracle, not really—”</p><p>“Feels like one to me,” he interrupted.</p><p>Peter nodded. “Yeah, okay, but I’m not really the one that does it. It’s all the Stones. I just use what they can do to get what I want.”</p><p>“Why did you want to do it?” Natasha asked. “You didn’t know me, nor Vision, but you came to find us and did this huge thing.”</p><p>Peter frowned. “It’s not like it was hard or painful for me to do. The Stones told me a long time ago that I could help certain people, those whose death had a connection to them, and when I really embraced them, took their power for myself, I knew I should do it. Just because I didn't know you, it didn’t mean there weren’t other people that loved you left behind."</p><p>His eyes moved to Vision and Wanda, who were seated close with their hands entwined.</p><p>"I knew what it did to Wanda to lose Vision, and I saw and felt the moment she had to do it. Being able to help her and not would have been cruel. It would have meant I wasn't worthy of the Stones, and that's been the whole point since the beginning of this thing with the Snap."</p><p>“Thank you for doing it,” Hawkeye said, his voice slightly strained. “I know it didn’t hurt you or whatever, but it took away a lot of pain for me and my family.”</p><p>Natasha quirked an eyebrow at him and then said, "It did technically hurt you a little, Peter, since I punched you."</p><p>Peter grinned and rubbed his jaw. "True, but you're going to have to swing harder than if you want to really hurt me."</p><p>Wanda laughed. “I told you he was great, Vis.”</p><p>Vision nodded. “You did. I also owe you my thanks, Peter Parker.”</p><p>“Just Peter is fine,” he said.</p><p>“Peter.” Vision smiled. “I was in that place alone and yearning for one person. You brought me back to her.”</p><p>Peter smiled. “I was happy I could do it.” His stomach gave a loud growl at that moment, and he blushed when their eyes moved to him. "Sorry. It's been a while since breakfast."</p><p>Tony narrowed his eyes. “I thought you were taking care of yourself.”</p><p>“I am!” Peter said, eyes wide and innocent. “But what I eat in other planes doesn’t work the same way it does when I’m actually in the right one. It tastes good, sure, but it’s not actually feeding me properly. It’s like when you fill up on cotton candy. Sure, you’re eating, and you get the sugar rush, which is awesome, but it’s not real sustenance.” He grinned. “It sure is fun to eat, though.”</p><p>Hawkeye tilted his head to the side. "Is this seriously the same kid that saves the world and raises the dead? He’s kinda hyper.”</p><p>Bucky laughed. “Yeah, that’s Peter. You’ll get used to him.”</p><p>Peter's stomach gave another growl, and Natasha got to her feet. "Come on, kid, let's get you a sandwich. You like PB&amp;J?"</p><p>“Love it,” Peter said. “I’ll help.”</p><p>He got up from his seat and followed her into a tidy kitchen where she grabbed a loaf of bread, took out two slices, gave him an assessing look, and then added two more. "I've got a feeling you've got a big appetite," she said.</p><p>“I have,” Peter agreed. “I feel like I’m always hungry. It’s my metabolism. I have to eat loads.”</p><p>She laughed and added four more slices, then began to spread raspberry jelly over them.</p><p>“I know Clint’s already said it, but I want to thank you, too,” she said. “What you did for me was… It’s something I’m never going to be able to repay.”</p><p>Peter frowned. “You seemed happy there.”</p><p>“I was. But it wasn’t real. I didn’t see how much I needed to be here until I was. Clint was struggling, he still is, and I need to help him. I couldn’t do that where I was. It wasn’t real like it is here.” She frowned. “I didn’t come back to true love the way Vision did, and I see him now with Wanda and know you did something amazing for him, but I came back to a different love.”</p><p>“I see that,” Peter said. “The way Mr. Hawkeye is with you, you’re really special to him.”</p><p>"He's like my brother. I trust him more than I trust anyone in the world." She began to smooth peanut butter on the other slices. "And don't call him Mr. Hawkeye to his face or he'll never answer to anything else. Make it Clint, or we'll all suffer."</p><p>Peter chuckled. “Sure, okay. Clint.” He frowned. “I wanted to bring two other people back, too—my aunt and uncle—but I couldn’t do it the same way because their deaths weren’t connected to the Stones. I could have stopped them dying though, Soul said I could as they didn’t have a huge part in history so it would be okay, but they didn’t want it.”</p><p>Natasha set down the knife and stared at him a moment. “I’m sorry.”</p><p>Peter shrugged off his momentary melancholy and said, “I can still see them though, in the Soul Plane where I found you.”</p><p>“You gave them a choice like you gave me and Vision, and you abided by what they wanted. That’s the right thing to do.” She sliced the sandwiches in two and placed them on a plate and held it out to him. “Come on, Spider-Boy, eat. I think Daddy Tony is going to have a conniption fit if you don’t.”</p><p>Peter laughed. “Yeah, maybe.</p><p>“He misses you.”</p><p>“I miss him. I miss everyone. There’s so much out there to do, though, and I can’t stop yet. I will soon, I think. At least slow down some and come back to live here. I’d like that.” He nodded to himself. “Yes, soon.”</p><p>There still things he wanted to do, though. His family had all seen, done, and suffered, a lot, and he wanted to see if he could help them somehow, even though he thought seeing and sharing that pain was going to be among the hardest things he’d do with the Stones.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… A little family reunion. We’re now moving into a few chapters that I absolutely love.  They come from a decision I made early into this series when I researched what the Stones were capable of, and I can’t wait for you to read them. <br/>Until next time…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Saturday! The weekend has finally arrived. Was your week as long as mine?<br/>I’m actually going away for a few days in a couple hours, so replies to reviews might be later than usual. I apologize in advance for the delay. Any Supernatural fans? I’m going to a city called Winchester! The place came on my radar for the name years ago, and I always wanted to visit, but it’s apparently a lovely place so it’s about way more than the connection to the boys now. I’m looking forward to getting away and spending some time with my sister. <br/>This chapter comes with an angst warning for a Major Character ‘Death’. I use quotes as we all know he’s not really dead. It’s a tearjerker, though, so maybe grab a Kleenex.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <em>Bakhmala, Afghanistan — 2012</em>
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</p><p>“I see an RPG on the roof!” Sam called, his voice tight with tension. “We’ve got to turn back!”</p><p>“We’re too close,” Riley replied calmly. “I’m going in.”</p><p>“Riley, don’t!”</p><p>Sam saw it happening in slow motion—the spark and smoke of the RPG firing, heard the whoosh as it came towards them, then Riley's right wing disintegrating in the blast.</p><p>He wheeled right and flew towards Riley, but he wasn’t going to get there in time, he knew. Riley was dropping too fast, from too high. This was going to be bad.</p><p>Riley hit the ground, and Sam landed beside him a few seconds later. He retracted his wings into the pack on his back and assessed his friend. Riley had no open wounds that he could see, but there was a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth.</p><p>“Riley! Ry, man, open your eyes!” he said, patting his pale face.</p><p>Riley's eyes cracked open, blinked slowly, and then focused on Sam. His lips tugged into a smile, and he said, "You know what, man, you were right. We should have turned back."</p><p>"I'm always right," Sam said, giddy with adrenaline. "Now, keep still." He tugged his radio from his collar and called it in. "It's Airman Wilson. We've got a man down. I need a medivac to our location. We're two clicks west of Bakhmala. I repeat, man down, medivac required."</p><p>There was static in response, and Sam’s heart sank.</p><p>“No answer?” Riley asked weakly, lips tugging in a smile. “Hate to say it, man, but it’s too damn late anyway.”</p><p>“Shut up,” Sam snapped. “Just stay awake.”</p><p>Riley coughed and turned his head to the side, a spatter of blood hitting the sand beneath him. "My body is trashed, Sam," he said hoarsely. "You better get out of here before they get come for you."</p><p>“I’m not leaving,” Sam said. “Not without you. I’ll carry you.”</p><p>Riley shook his head. “That’ll slow you down. Get out of here, and that's an order."</p><p>“You don’t get to order me to do anything. We’re the same rank. Look, you’re going to have to grit your teeth and bear this—it’s going to hurt like a bitch.”</p><p>Riley gave his head a weak shake and brought his hand up to Sam’s chest. “No, man…” He drew a shaky breath. “It’s too… late… Tell…”</p><p>“No last words!” Sam growled. “Just save your damn strength and— Ry!”</p><p>Riley’s hand dropped down, and his head tilted to the side, his eyes becoming glazed and empty.</p><p>“No!” Sam shouted. “Dammit, Ry! Look at me.”</p><p>It was too late, though, he knew; Riley was dead.</p><p>He raised his face to the burning sun and let out a stream of broken curses as his chest heaved with sobs.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Sam,” a soft voice said.</p><p>Sam’s head snapped right, and he saw a kid walking towards him.</p><p>He just stared, taking in the out of place clothes and the crazy eyes. The kid knelt beside him, staring down at Riley, and then he reached out a hand and laid it over Riley’s face. When he lifted it, Riley’s eyes were closed.</p><p>“Who the hell are you?” Sam asked.</p><p>“I’m Peter. And I don’t have long. You need to get out of here. I’ll protect you as long as I can.”</p><p>Sam grunted a laugh. “How the hell are you supposed to protect me from anything? You’re a child.”</p><p>“Technically,” he replied. “But I’m also a lot more. I need to tell you something before you go.” He placed his hand on Sam’s shoulder and turned him slightly. “I know what you’re feeling right now because I once watched someone I love die, too. This is not the end for you, though. You’re going to take Riley’s memory and use it to drive yourself to do good.”</p><p>Sam turned his face away. “You’re nuts.”</p><p>The kid shrugged. “You’re not the first person to say it. Look, Sam, you need to hear me and cling to it. This is not the end. You're already a hero, I know, but that's going to be so much bigger one day. You're going to be an Avenger, someone that fights for the whole world."</p><p>Sam stared at him. “What the hell is an Avenger?”</p><p>The kid smiled, something sparking in his rainbow eyes. “Watch the news, May 2012. You’ll see them and understand.” He looked around. “You need to get out of here. Go now. Get him back so they can take him home to his family.”</p><p>Sam shook his head, dismissed the insanity that he thought now was some kind of adrenaline-fueled hallucination, and pulled the clasps that held Riley’s destroyed EXO-&amp; pack from his back, then eased him into his arms.</p><p>He expanded his wings and said, “If you’re not some kind of adrenaline or grief-fuelled trip, you need to get out of here, kid.”</p><p>The kid smiled. “I’ll be fine. I’ll stay back in case they come after you.”</p><p>Sam shrugged, convinced now he wasn’t leaving an innocent in danger, instead a hallucination behind, and then took flight with Riley’s body held against him, carrying him home.</p><p>xXx</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Sokovia — 2007</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>“Have you washed your hands,” Wanda’s mother asked.</p><p>“Yes, мама,” Wanda said dutifully.</p><p>“Yes,” Pietro agreed.</p><p>Her mother raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure, Pietro?”</p><p>Wanda snuck a look at her brother and said, “He didn’t.”</p><p>Pietro jabbed her in the ribs with his elbow, and Wanda cried out in pain.</p><p>“Do not be unkind, Pietro,” their mother said. “And do not tell lies. Go wash your hands.”</p><p>Scowling, Pietro got walked into the bathroom, and Wanda took her usual seat at the table. She folded her hands on her lap and watched as her mother set down the basket of rolls and filled their glasses with water.</p><p>Wanda’s father came to sit at the head of the table, ruffling her hair on his way past, and she said. "Good evening. папа.”</p><p>“Good evening, little Wanda,” he said. “Have you had a good day?”</p><p>“Yes. We did history at school, and I got full marks on the test.”</p><p>“Well done.”</p><p>Pietro came back and sat opposite Wanda.</p><p>“How did you do on the test, Pietro?” their father asked.</p><p>“I did okay,” he said.</p><p>Their father cleared his throat and said, “What does that mean?”</p><p>“I got a B,” he replied grudgingly.</p><p>“That is a good grade,” their mother said. “Well done.”</p><p>Pietro smiled, “Thank you, мама.”</p><p>She began to serve the vegetables from the bowl and then stopped as the sirens started. There was a moment in which they all froze, and then Папа said, “Go! Under the bed.”</p><p>Pietro jumped out of his seat, skirted the table, and yanked Wanda up by the arm. She struggled to keep up with him as he was always the fastest of them. They reached their parents' bedroom, and Pietro pushed Wanda down. She squeezed under the metal-framed bed, moving over to make space for Pietro, who wriggled in beside her and pressed close against her.</p><p>They’d barely made it before the building shook around them as there was a loud crashing sound. Wanda whimpered and called out, “Мама! Папа!”</p><p>There was no answer, and tears began to spill down Wanda’s cheeks. Pietro was breathing hard beside her, and then they both cried out as the floor fell beneath them and the walls caved in. Wanda screamed as then choked as dust filled her mouth and throat. Pietro was coughing, too, and she felt him pressing closer to her side.</p><p>“Мама! Папа!” Wanda said weakly.</p><p>“They cannot come,” Pietro said. “You know that.”</p><p>Wanda began to cry in earnest. She did not want to believe it, but bombs were the reality of their life. If her mother and father weren't coming, it meant it was because they could not hear her calling, and if they could not hear her calling, they were…</p><p>She sobbed, and Pietro grabbed her hand and held it. She squeezed it as tight as she could.</p><p>The building was not shaking now, but they did not dare move. There was rubble in front of them, and it was almost dark with the rubble and walls that had dropped around them. It was only the bed that was keeping them from being crushed.</p><p>“We should get out,” Pietro said.</p><p>“I’m scared,” Wanda whimpered.</p><p>“Me too, but we have to be brave. “Мама and Папа might be alive but hurt. They need us.”</p><p>He wriggled forward an inch, and then they both cried out as there was another bang, and something landed in front of them, dust billowing up and stinging Wanda's eyes. When the dust cleared, Wanda saw something that made her gasp and squeeze her eyes closed.</p><p>There was a bomb in front of her, and there was a name written on it. ‘STARK.’</p><p>Wanda stared at it, waiting for it to explode, but the minutes of her pressed to Pietro, both of them crying, stretched, and it did not explode.</p><p>“What do we do, Pietro?” she asked weakly.</p><p>“I don’t know,” he admitted.</p><p>“If they come for us, it might explode. If they move it...”</p><p>“I know,” he said weakly.</p><p>Wanda squeezed her eyes closed and trembled under the bed, the object of her death in front of her.</p><p>“They’re coming,” Pietro said suddenly. “I can hear them.”</p><p>“We have to tell them!” Wanda said urgently, and then raised her voice. “Be careful! There’s a bomb!”</p><p>“I know,” a voice replied. “I’m going to take it away.”</p><p>Wanda nestled closer to Pietro and the rubble rattled around them as, she supposed, someone dug their way towards them. Then a strange shape filled her vision. It was a red face with big white eyes and black web lines over it. </p><p>The shape was the face of a person in a tight suit who reached the bomb and then looked towards them, “It’s okay, guys," he said. "I'm going to take the bomb away, and then I'll come back for you."</p><p>“Don’t touch it!” Pietro said. “It might explode.”</p><p>“It won’t, I promise.</p><p>“Who are you?” Pietro asked boldly. </p><p>A red-clad hand came up and tugged off the mask, revealing someone that looked older than Wanda and Pietro but not an adult. "I'm Peter. A friend. I'm going to take the bomb away, then I'll come help you."</p><p>He turned away from them and reached for the bomb. Wanda squeezed her eyes closed and waited for the bomb to explode, wondering if it would be hot and painful or if they would just be gone in a heartbeat.</p><p>There was the shifting of rubble, and then Pietro said, "Wanda! It's gone! He flew away!"</p><p>Wanda cracked her eyes open and saw that the boy and bomb were gone. “He flew?”</p><p>"Yes, there was lots of light, and then he was gone. He was holding the bomb.”</p><p>“Do you think we’re safe now?” Wanda asked. “Can we get out?”</p><p>There was a moment of silence as Pietro considered. “I think so. I’ll go first.”</p><p>“I can,” Wanda protested.</p><p>“I’m older.”</p><p>Wanda giggled in spite of her fear. “You are twenty minutes older. We’re still twins.”</p><p>Pietro huffed and began to pull himself out from under the bed, his body creating rattling sounds. Wanda wanted to tell him to stop, but she wanted to get out, too.</p><p>“Hold on, guys!” a voice called above them. “I’ll help you.”</p><p>Pietro froze, half out from under the bed, and then the boy appeared again. He squatted down and said, “Hey. The bomb is gone, so you’re safe;, I can get you out now. I’m going to help you out first, okay, kid?”</p><p>He took Pietro's hand and pulled. Pietro slid out, leaving Wanda alone, and then the boy's red-clad hand was coming back for her.</p><p>He took her arm and said, "Hold onto me really tight. We're going to have to be very careful not to make the building fall because there are other people trapped, but you are both safe with me, okay? I promise nothing will hurt you."</p><p>Wanda was scared, and she bit her lip, but Pietro nodded and said, “We can be careful.”</p><p>“I know,” the boy said. “And you’ve already been very brave.”</p><p>He pulled Wanda out slowly, and she squeezed her eyes closed, too scared to look.</p><p>When she was out, the boy leaned close and whispered in her ear. She listened in awe and looked into his strange eyes and said, "Really?"</p><p>He nodded and said, “Really. One day.”</p><p>Wanda stared at him and then listened as he explained how they were going to get out. As she took his hand, Pietro on his other side, and they were wrapped in light, she wondered if what he said was true.</p><p>Were she and Pietro really going to be heroes one day, too?</p><p>xXx</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>North Atlantic Ocean — 1945</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Steve took a deep breath. “Right now, I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer, a lot of people are gonna die. Peggy, this is my choice.” He forced the yoke down, dipping the Valkyrie towards the water. He was so close now, and the radio was crackling with static. “Peggy?</p><p>“I’m here.” He could hear the sadness in her voice, the knowledge that this was it, and his heart ached for what could have been.</p><p>He forced a smile that she could not see. “I’m gonna need a rain check on that dance.”</p><p>Now her voice was choked with the tears he could not see but knew were falling. "Alright. A week, next Saturday, at the Stork Club.”</p><p>A hand fell on his shoulder, and he jerked his head to the side to see a kid dressed in the strangest clothes standing beside him, his face sad and rainbow eyes glassy.</p><p>“Hey, Brooklyn,” he said, his voice heavy.</p><p>Steve stared at him a moment, trying to make sense of what he was seeing, then decided it didn’t matter. Peggy did. He shook his head, dismissing the hallucination, and returned his attention to her, saying, “You got it.”</p><p>The kid beside him squeezed his shoulder and smiled.</p><p>“Eight o’clock on the dot. Don’t you dare be late. Understood?”</p><p>Steve smiled slightly. “You know, I still don’t know how to dance.”</p><p>“I’ll show you how,” she promised. “Just be there.”</p><p>“Well, have the band play something slow. I’d hate to step on your toes.”</p><p>In response, there was the crackle of static as the radio cut out.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Steve,” the kid said.                </p><p>Steve stared at him, shocked out of his fear as they careened towards the water. “Who are you?”</p><p>The kid smiled though a tear slipped down his cheek. “That doesn’t matter. We don’t have long. I need you to know, though, this is not where it ends. I will see you again. It’s going to be hard, you’re going to be scared, but it will all be okay. And you’ll find him again.”</p><p>“Find who?” Steve asked, even as the nose of the Valkyrie brushed the water.</p><p>The kid’s eyes gleamed. “Bucky.”</p><p>Before Steve could articulate another question or voice his incredulity, the cockpit breached the water, and then the windshield buckled and water rushed in.</p><p>The kid squeezed his shoulder tight. “It’s okay,” he said, his voice filled with confidence that did not dispel Steve’s terror. “I’ll stay until it’s over. I won’t leave you alone. I’ll be here.”</p><p>The water rushed over Steve's face but seemed to leave the kid untouched. He could see the kid's mouth moving with words, but he couldn't hear them over the rushing water and pounding of his pulse in his ears. The water touched his mouth, and he pressed his lips closed. He wanted to make the most of every second he had, to not stop resisting until there was no other option. He was a soldier, and he was going to die like one—fighting.</p><p>The lack of oxygen made his head swim, but he was not giving in. The kid knelt down beside him, placing his hand on Steve's and squeezing it tight, grounding him from the fear. If Steve could talk, he'd thank him, but he knew the moment he opened his mouth, he would die.</p><p>He resisted as hard as he could, until his lungs were screaming and his mind fogging. Then, as the kid gave him a small nod, his instinctual need for air parted his lips, and he sucked in a chest full of salty water.</p><p>The kid’s rainbow eyes, sad and kind, were the last thing he saw, and his last thought was a puzzle.</p><p>How could this not be the end? Was Bucky waiting for him in Heaven?</p><p>That would be just fine.</p><p>xXx</p><p>Peter came back to the Tool Shed without making a conscious decision, needing to see Steve, to banish the pain of what he’d just seen. He arrived beside the building and stopped to watch. It was early morning, but he was not the only one awake. Steve and Bucky were sitting by the lake, talking in somber voices.</p><p>“Peter was really there with you?” Bucky said. “It wasn’t a dream?”</p><p>“He was there,” Steve said. “I know how it was supposed to have happened, how it happened before, me alone, terrified, but now I remember him. Queens was with me when I went into the water. He made it…”</p><p>“Easier?” Bucky suggested.</p><p>Steve nodded. "It's hard to put it into words, but that night, talking to Peggy, knowing what I had to do, was one of the worst moments of my life. And Queens… He wasn't just there; he gave me hope, too. He told me I'd see you again. I thought that meant Heaven, and then, when I came out of the ice, there was always the inkling of what could be, what he'd told me." He rubbed his hand over his face. "I know when it happened, I felt nothing but shock when I saw you again, but now I remember feeling something slotting into place. What he'd told me was finally happening."</p><p>“He changed history,” Bucky said.</p><p>"He did, my history, and… Buck, I don't even know how to begin to thank him for that. It changed everything, changed me. He gave me a little peace in that horrific moment, and that grew and shaped me when I came out of the ice."</p><p>Bucky stared out at the lake. “He’s incredible, you know. I mean, Vision and Natasha, that’s amazing and what any of us would have done if we’d had that power. But what he did for you… I wouldn’t even have thought of doing it, never.”</p><p>“He’s Queens,” Steve said, his tone indicating that was the answer to everything.</p><p>Peter stared at their backs and felt the horror of the moment he’d just left leaving him. Seeing Steve going into the water had been one of the worst things he’d ever experienced, but he knew how it was the right thing to have done; his pain had been worth it as it had helped Steve.</p><p>Part of him wanted to go to them, to take comfort in his family, but the rest of him knew he couldn’t yet. He’d been to Sam, Wanda, and Steve, but there were others out there with pain in their lives that he could ease.</p><p>He still had work to do.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… How was that? I made Snarkymuch cry with Steve’s scene, and that woman has tear ducts of steel, so I was thrilled. I made myself cry, too. We’re going to see two more difficult moments in the next chapter. <br/>Water or Ice Debate: I don’t believe Steve went into the water. I believe the Valkyrie crashed into the ice and he froze there. I’ve not read that version in any of the stories I’ve read, though—it’s always been water. I couldn’t find a definitive answer online either. Water was more poetic and dramatic for this story, so I went with it. If that  offends your sensibilities, I apologize. Call it creative license. <br/>Until next time…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Wednesday!<br/>I am home from Winchester and planning to get my head straight and focused for Story V. That’s not been going so well lately, but I’m committed to working on it now. Getting the comments for the last chapter, seeing how wonderful you all are to be on this journey with me, has given me the push I needed.<br/>Please be advised, this chapter carries a warning for suicidal intent in Bruce's canon suicide attempt. If you're uncomfortable reading it, you can skip that scene and move to the second scene, which follows the page break.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <em>Mount Forake, Alaska — 2006</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Bruce was sitting on top of a mountain in northern Alaska, trying to build the courage to take the shot. The gun was in his hand and the bullet in the chamber; he just needed to do it.</p><p>He had been driven to this point by years of pain, and this was his one way to halt his path on the endless circling road of destruction he was on. He had tried to live, he had tried to cure himself, but he was being hunted, and he couldn't bear it any longer. The Hulk was him, he was the Hulk, and neither of them would ever be free again.</p><p>Thaddeus Ross would never let him be free. </p><p>He checked the chamber once more and clicked it closed. It was ready. He was ready.</p><p>He lifted the gun and then stopped dead as he heard a distant voice calling to him. “Hey, Bruce! Hold on a second! I missed my landing, which is, yeah, something only I’d do, right? Don’t tell anyone, okay?”</p><p>Bruce jumped to his feet and gaped down at the figure picking its way towards him up the mountain. He thought he had to be hallucinating. Who could have found him here—who would know his name even?</p><p>The figure got closer, and he got a good look at him. It was a kid, no older than sixteen, with brown hair whipping around in the wind, which was also making his clothes cling to him. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and jeans, and his breath made clouds in the air. Bruce was cold, too, but he had the Hulk’s resistance. This kid was going to freeze to death.</p><p>The kid reached him and gave him a wide smile, his strangely colored eyes bright. "Hey! Sorry, I'm late. It's harder to aim than I realized. I've pretty much been picking a planet or time and going for it. Finding the exact place at the right instant is harder—and I am totally blaming Space for overshooting the landing."</p><p>Bruce gaped at him. “Who are you?”</p><p>The kid held out a hand. “Peter Parker. Good to see you again.”</p><p>“Again?”</p><p>Peter gave his hand a small wiggle, and Bruce switched his gun to the other hand so he could fully immerse himself in the insanity of the moment by shaking his hand.</p><p>The kid looked pleased and plonked himself down on the snowy ground. “Damn, it’s cold. And I can’t thermoregulate that well, so I guess I’m lucky I’ve got <em>them,</em> or this could end ugly. As it is, I'm going to have to find a nice warm planet when I leave. Or I guess I could just go to the Bahamas. Kinda feels like cheating." He wrapped his arms around his middle and shivered. "I might go see Rhodey and get some of his hot chocolate." He looked up. "Sit down, Bruce. We need to talk."</p><p>Bruce sat down automatically and fixed his eyes on Peter. "Am I dead? Did I do it, and this is some kind of purgatory for suicides?"</p><p>“Nope. You’re very much still alive. And you’re going to stay that way.”</p><p>Bruce huffed a laugh. “Look, kid, I have no idea what you’re doing here, half of what you’re talking about, but it’s not safe for you here.”</p><p>Peter shrugged. “Technically, you’re the one with the gun in your hand, so it’s not that safe for you either.” His face became solemn. “What are you doing up here, Bruce?”</p><p>Bruce held up the gun. “I’d think it was obvious.”</p><p>“It is, but I don’t know what led you to this place. I just asked them to tell me the moment you needed me most.”</p><p> “Needed <em>you</em>?” Bruce shook his head. “You’re not real. You’re a hallucination or something.”</p><p>“Sure, we’ll go with that. Tell me why you think death is better than life.”</p><p>Bruce stared at him a moment and then threw himself into the ludicrous situation. “I’ve got a monster in me, a monster that I can’t control, and it’s destroyed my life. I have nothing left to live for. I’ve lost everyone I love.  I’ve hurt people.”</p><p>Peter nodded slowly. “I get that, but…” He sighed. “This is harder than I thought. I guess I couldn’t really imagine you in this place. You’re so… <em>Bruce</em> all the time—unshakeable.” He placed his hand on Bruce’s arm and said, “I know you’ve lost a lot, and your life is hell right now, but it will get better. People won’t always be scared of you.”</p><p>Bruce huffed a laugh. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”</p><p>“No, really. Little kids are going to play with action figures of The Hulk one day; students in high school are going to study your research and admire you. Your photo will be on the wall of my school science lab, and we’ll all see you for the genius you are.”</p><p>Bruce stared at him without words to utter.</p><p>"And you'll have a family," he went on. "They'll be a group of the most amazing, brave, and powerful people on the planet, and you'll be one of them. You'll love them, and they'll love you." His rainbow eyes became intense. "And on May 4th, 2012, you will save my father's life when no one else can after he does something suicidally brave. You will make it possible for me to meet him, love him, and have my own place in that family with you. One day, you will save more lives than you can imagine when you recreate the snap that destroyed half the universe. You’ll save <em>my</em> life! And you are the only one capable of doing it <em>because</em> of The Hulk.” He touched the gun gripped in Bruce’s hand—not trying to take it, just acknowledging it. “And this gun won’t stop that. All it will do is give you a haunting memory.”</p><p>Bruce stared at him, seeing those strange eyes and the sincerity they held, and asked, “Who are you? How are you here?”</p><p>Peter gave him a small smile. “That’s a really long story that I can’t tell you. You’ll know eventually. Now, get rid of the gun—you don’t need it.”</p><p>“I don’t?” Bruce asked.</p><p>“No,” Peter said firmly. “You don’t. And I think you know that now.”</p><p>Bruce sighed, knowing the kid was right. How Peter could know these things that seemed too incredible to imagine he had no idea, but he felt somehow that they might be true.</p><p>“Kid… Peter, when will all this happen?” he asked. “When will it get better?”</p><p>“It all starts May 2012,” he said. “You’ve just got to be patient and strong for six years. I’m not going to ask if you can be, because I <em>know</em> you can.” He got to his feet and placed his hand on Bruce’s shoulder. “I’ll come see you soon, okay?”</p><p>“Soon?”</p><p>"Well, soon as in my time." His eyes became soft, and he said, "Be kind to yourself, Bruce. One day, you and The Hulk will find a balance to live with. Before then, though, you're going to be a superhero."</p><p>Bruce stared at him. “How are you here? How do you know so much? Are you from the future?”</p><p>Peter looked pleased. “I am. You’ll know it all eventually.” He rubbed up and down his arms. “Now, I really am freezing, so I’ve got to go. Want to see something cool?”</p><p>“Something cooler than a kid with rainbow eyes stopping me putting a bullet in my brain?” Bruce asked.</p><p>“Yep.”</p><p>Peter waved a hand in farewell and then shot into the sky with a blaze of rainbow light that receded into the cloudy sky and disappeared.</p><p>Bruce stared at the point he’d vanished then gave a soft laugh. “Six years, huh?” he said, lifting the gun in his hand. “Guess I’m not going to need this then.”</p><p>He pulled back his arm and then pitched the gun off the mountain, knowing in his heart that, no matter what happened between now and the times the kid was talking about, he was never going to be in this hopeless position again.</p><p>He was going to cling onto the thought of the future and family he’d been promised.</p><p>xXx</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Hydra Base, Siberia — 2014</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Bucky felt the pain as the ice leeched out of his body, and his heart began its slow return to a healthy speed. It was always the same, after each session as a weapon, each return to the chamber where he would be held in frozen stasis, and then being brought back to life. He came back as Bucky Barnes each time, then the words were used, and he became the monster again—The Winter Solider.</p><p>Bucky Barnes became harder to grasp each time, the conditioning more pronounced. One day, he knew, he would wake, and his old life wouldn’t even be a memory. He would just be Hydra’s greatest weapon.</p><p>He looked around and wondered when they would come for him, to say the words and turn him into the monster. He usually had a few hours of awareness before they did. They wanted him to be fully ready for them to send him on a mission, not still partially frozen and weak.</p><p>The cast iron door that led into the cavernous room he was held in creaked open, and he lifted his head from the thinly padded chair he was bound to and watched. He expected it to be whichever agent was his handler this time, it changed over the years with each new mission, but it was a kid, dressed in blue jeans and a hooded top of the kind he’d noticed people wearing on his last mission. His presence in this room with Bucky was shocking enough, but the strange colors in his sad eyes were even more so.</p><p>“Hey, Bucky,” the kid said quietly with a small smile.</p><p>"You shouldn't be here, kid," Bucky said. "It's not safe."</p><p>The kid shrugged. “It’s safe for me, really, and I wanted to see you.” He placed his hand in Bucky’s metal one and gave it a small squeeze. Bucky tried to pull away, but the restraints that held him to the chair were too strong.</p><p>“I didn’t know when to come,” the kid said sadly. “I thought about it a lot, because I knew you wouldn’t remember it when they used the words on you, but I figured now was the right time. They’re going to come for you soon, Bucky, and they’re going to send you after Captain America.”</p><p>Bucky’s eyes widened. “Steve! He’s alive!”</p><p>The kid sighed. "I guess they didn't even tell you that much. Figures. Yeah. Steve is alive, and he's not a wrinkly old man. He was frozen in the ice, kinda like you were here. He's back now, and he's got a new team." He leaned closer. "Bucky, you won't remember all of this, I know, but I need to tell you anyway. This will be your last mission for Hydra. It's all going to change from here."</p><p>“Who the hell are you, and what are you talking about?”</p><p>The kid smiled. “I’m Peter, and one day you will know me. One day you will be my friend, my family. I know what’s coming for you because I come from eleven years in the future.”</p><p>Bucky huffed a laugh. “You’re nuts.”</p><p>Peter grinned. “Maybe a little, it wouldn’t be a surprise, but I’m not wrong. This is the mission that’s going to change it all. You’re going to see Steve and save him. He’s going to save you in return. Bucky, I swear, it’s going to be okay now. One more mission, then everything will change. You’re going to have friends again, a family, and you’re going to help me in ways you can’t even imagine.” He bit his lip. “I needed to know what happened when I was ‘gone,' what you all did for me, so I went back to see. You are going to be there for me, kind to me, in ways you can’t even imagine when I am at my very worst. You’ll help me so much.”</p><p>Bucky rolled his eyes. “Kid, I don’t know what you think you saw, but I am not kind to anyone.”</p><p>“Not as The Winter Soldier, no, they stripped that from you, but you won’t be him forever. You’re going to be Bucky Barnes again. I swear, Bucky, you are going to be happy.”</p><p>Bucky stared at him, taking in the words and mulling them over. The idea of happiness again seemed impossible, but so was a kid in street clothes with eyes like that arriving in a Hydra bunker without being shot dead.</p><p>"I wish I could change this," the kid said. "I'd fix it for you all if I could, but the things that happen to you all need to happen to bring you together for the real battle." He sighed, and Bucky saw his strange eyes become wet. "Seeing you all suffer like this is the hardest part for me, and I hope you can forgive me for it when you know what I did and didn’t do."</p><p>“Don’t worry about it, kid. It’s not like you’re in control of this.”</p><p>A tear slipped down the kid’s cheek. “In some things, I am, but not this. It risks too much.” He shook his head. “I need to go. I will see you, though.” He gave Bucky’s hand a small squeeze and said, “Take care of yourself, and don’t forget what I said—you’ll be happy.”</p><p>Bucky watched as he walked towards the door and then turned back and gave him an intense look. “Am I really going to see Steve?” he asked.</p><p>The kid nodded. “See him, fight him, and then save him.” He gave a small smile. “And that’s where the fun really begins.”</p><p>Before Bucky could say anything else, the kid was slipping out of the door and closing it behind him.</p><p>Bucky leaned his head back against the chair and thought about what he’d heard. Was it possible the kid was right, that he would see Steve and save him? Could he really have a family again?</p><p>As the door opened again and his handler came in, Bucky made a concerted effort to hang on to what the kid had said, see if that could remain when everything else was washed away.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… Bruce and Bucky had their visits. I struggled with these two. Bruce’s seemed too carefree with Peter being Peter, and Bucky’s was kinda hopeless as he wouldn’t remember once the words had been used. I edited and altered until they were as good as I could make them, but I know they’re still not my best writing.<br/>Until next time…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <em>Afghanistan — 2009</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Rhodey forced himself to stay blank-faced as Major General Meade spoke over him.</p><p>“I know you have a personal interest in this mission, Rhodes, which is why I didn’t want you to be a part of it. I acceded to your wishes, though, kept you involved, but it’s time to stand down.”</p><p>“Sir, Tony Stark is out there somewhere,” Rhodey said, fighting to keep his desperation from his voice. “We need to find him.”</p><p>“Rhodes, Stark is dead. It’s been three months. They haven’t contacted anyone or posted evidence of his capture. There have been no threats or ransom requests. We have to assume he’s been killed to remove his skill from our side. It’s unfortunate, yes, Stark’s inventive mind is a great loss, but we cannot spend more tax dollars on a failure.” His tone became brusque. “You need to accept that your friend is dead.”</p><p>Rhodey gritted his teeth to stop himself throwing a curse at his commander.</p><p>Tony couldn’t be dead, he couldn’t, because Rhodey didn’t know what his life was without him in it. Since he’d been a kid on his first day at college, being introduced to his fifteen-year-old roommate who was apparently a child genius with a chip on his shoulder the size of Rhode Island, their lives had been linked.</p><p>Tony could not be dead.</p><p>He lifted his chin. “Requesting permission to continue the search alone, Sir."</p><p>“Denied. Take some time, Rhodes, rest.”</p><p>“I don’t want time,” Rhodey said, his tone bordering on insubordination. “I want to find my friend.”</p><p>Meade pressed his lips into a thin line. "The search has ended, Colonel Rhodes. You will take your allotted time and then return to duty for orders." He lowered his voice. "It's time for you to grieve and accept the truth."</p><p>Rhodey felt prickling behind his eyes, and he turned his back, risking reprimand, to hide the tears that were about to fall. He heard Meade clearing his throat and the swish of the tent flap as he left. Rhodey sat on his cot and buried his face in his hands.</p><p>Even if he was right that Tony was still alive, he was as good as dead now the search had been called off. He wouldn’t be able to get himself out of this alone. Tony had strengths, a brilliant mind, a good heart that he tried to hide, determination that often found its way into inventions, but he was not a soldier. He was helpless out there, and Rhodey had failed him.</p><p>His best friend was dead.</p><p>“Oh, God,” he moaned as tears spilled down his cheeks. “Dammit, Tony.”</p><p>He knew, deep in his bones, that if he’d been riding with Tony, none of this would have happened. He never would have allowed him to be taken, even at the cost of his own life. He fought for his team, his comrades, but he would have fought even harder for Tony, whom he'd allowed to come to this place to demonstrate his new missile. If he’d been smart, he would have found a way to make Tony stay home. But he’d believed he could protect him; he’d even wanted it, to show Tony what this side of his life was.</p><p>“Dammit, Tony!” he bellowed, not caring that his platoon would hear him give voice to his pain.</p><p>“He’s not dead, you know.”</p><p>Rhodey's head snapped up, and he saw a kid standing just inside the tent. As shocking as it was to see an American kid in Afghanistan out of uniform—and his hoodie and jeans were definitely <em>not</em> uniform—it was his obvious youth and eyes that made the scene more outstanding.</p><p>His irises looked like a damn kaleidoscope.</p><p>“How the hell did you get in here?” he asked, on his feet and reaching for his gun in one moment, raising it and pointing it at the kid in another. “Who are you?”</p><p>The kid held up his hands, his startling eyes wide. "Whoa, dude, don't shoot. I can't believe you're going to shoot me, Rhodey! Damn, I hope this works out, and you remember what you did, as you're going to owe me some serious hot chocolate and mac and cheese rations after this."</p><p>Rhodey tightened his grip. “Who are you?”</p><p>The kid sighed. “Peter Parker. A friend. A time traveler.”</p><p>Rhodey corrected his aim to the kid’s head.</p><p>"Please don't to that," the kid said. "It's going to hurt like hell, and I'll probably end up locked up and experimented on when I don't die."</p><p>Rhodey's heart sped. This kid was either insane or a serious threat. He was leaning towards insane, but this was Afghanistan, and the Taliban were cunning.</p><p>“Look, I don’t want to duck out on this and leave you in this state,” the kid—Peter Parker—said. “so calm down and don’t shoot. I’m trying to help. I heard that asshole saying you were standing down the search for Tony, and you <em>cannot</em> do that, hear me? He is out there; he is alive, and right now, he is busting his way out of a camp with the world's most insane tech, which he built in a cave out of scraps—so, you know, kudos for that. Point is, he’s alive and fighting his way back to you right now, so you need to go find him.”</p><p> Rhodey lowered his gun slightly, “What are you talking about? How do you know this?”</p><p>The kid laughed. "Did you miss the part about time travel? I'm not kidding. That's not the point, though. You <em>need </em>to go find Tony. He's going to be a mess. The things they did to him are… Well, I guess technically they saved his life, but he's hurt and needs you." He became even more animated. “Tony is about to start on the journey of a lifetime, Rhodey, and he’s taking you with him. He’s going to be a bonafide hero, and so are you.”</p><p>Rhodey stared at him. “Tony <em>is </em>alive?”</p><p>“Well, duh. Do you really think there’s anything here that can take him out? Believe me, man, Tony is tough. He’s coming out of that cave, leaving no survivors, and he’s about to start on a path that will change the world.”</p><p>“Where is he?”</p><p>Peter looked around. “You got a map? I can—” He cut off as a shout came from outside.</p><p>“Colonel Rhodes! We’ve got something!”</p><p>The kid ducked behind the curtain of the hanging closet where Rhodey kept his uniform, effectively hiding himself as Major Allen rushed in, eyes alive and excited.</p><p>"Sir, a drone has picked up an explosion in the mountains. It's a spot we've been looking for, a power base. Major General Meade wants you in on the investigation."</p><p>Rhodey nodded mutely, knowing Meade’s offer of R&amp;R was going to be forgotten in the face of a mission and also hoping that the kid’s insane story was true.</p><p>“I’m coming,” Rhodey said. “Give me a minute.”</p><p>"Yes, Sir.” Allen saluted him and ducked out of the tent.</p><p>The kid appeared again and said, “I’d say I told you so, but that’d be kinda immature. I'll tell you this, though—that's Tony, my father, and he needs you more now than ever."</p><p>Rhodey stared at him. “He’s really alive?”</p><p>The kid beamed. “He’s really alive.”</p><p>Rhodey wiped at his face and made for the door. Then, he looked back over his shoulder, "How did you get in here unseen?"</p><p>The kid grinned. “Same way I’ll get out. Now, go. He’s waiting for you?”</p><p>Rhodey was partially sure he’d lost his mind, that the whole conversation had been a hallucination even, but the small part of him that had heard and believed what the kid had said, that Tony was out there needing him, drove him out of his tent towards the command center.</p><p>As he stepped into place around the map they were all examining, something else occurred to him.</p><p>Had that kid said Tony was his father?</p><p>xXx</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Hydra Base, Siberia — 2016</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>Tony watched as Steve rose to his feet again and came at him, fists bunched.</p><p>He blocked the punch Steve came at him with and shot him to his knees with a blast of his gauntlet. He was fighting the urge in him to kill, to take the shot, and also to protect his friend. The twin needs battled in him. He was furious and wanted to kill, but this was Steve, not an enemy who deserved to die.</p><p>Kneeling in front of an unconscious Bucky, Steve raised his face and said, “He’s my friend.””</p><p>Tony’s ire rose. “So was I.” He punched Steve then threw him back into the wall. “Stay down. Final warning.”</p><p>Was it? Would he really kill? He thought he might, but he knew he would never forgive himself for it. That probably wouldn’t stop him, though.</p><p>Steve struggled to his feet, unsteady, and stared Tony down.<strong> “</strong>I can do this all day.”</p><p>Tony raised his left hand, ready to fire, and then a metal arm grabbed his leg. He spun and kicked Bucky in the face, but Steve was on him—he grabbed him, lifted him over his head, and threw him down. Tony landed hard, the breath rushing out of him and his back protesting with a burst of pain. He groaned, but Steve was already there. With a murderous look in his eyes, he punched Tony, swung his shield against Tony's faceplate, and knocked it away like a fluttering piece of paper.</p><p>Tony glared up at him, seeing his death in the eyes of the man he’d called friend. If this was his end, at Steve’s hands, it was poetic. His father had always made it clear he was never as good as Steve Rogers, and now it was being proved.</p><p>Steve lifted his shield high over Tony’s chest, right above the center of his suit’s power core, and then closed his eyes and slammed it down. It smashed into the arc reactor, rendering the suit useless and crushing it into Tony's ribs, which broke under the pressure.</p><p>Panting, Steve slumped down to his knees, leaving the shield wedged in Tony’s armor. Tony stared at him, wondering if this was the end, if Steve was satisfied by what he had done or if the next blow would be the killing one. Was he going to die here at the hands of a man that had once been one of his closest friends?</p><p>Steve struggled to his feet, and Tony flinched, waiting for death if it would come. Steve yanked the shield free, and Tony rolled over, offering his less vulnerable side as a place of attack instead of his vulnerable and already injured chest.</p><p>Steve did not attack again, though. He walked away from Tony toward Barnes, who was bloody but conscious. The sight of him moving made Tony want to attack again, even though he was weak and helpless now. </p><p>Steve hefted Bucky up and slung his arm over his shoulder as they staggered away.</p><p>Tony swallowed the blood in his mouth and forced out the words, “That shield doesn't belong to you. You don't deserve it. My father made that shield!”</p><p>Steve lifted his chin, the arrogant self-possessed soldier again, then dropped the shield and, supporting Barnes, walked away.</p><p>Tony rolled onto his back again as they disappeared. He didn’t know what to do next, or if he wanted to do anything at all. He had lost everything now; Pepper didn’t want him, and the Avengers were over. What was there left to fight for? If he stayed here without treatment, he'd be dead within days, if not hours. Was that really so bad?</p><p>“Tony!” a frantic voice said.</p><p>He looked to the side and saw Peter Parker rushing towards him. He was dressed in a Spider-Man suit, but not the one Tony had made him and not the homemade, thrift shop version either. This was a darker red and blue, and the insignia was different.</p><p>As Peter drew close, he yanked off the mask, revealing eyes that made Tony sure this was a hallucination borne of blood loss from internal bleeding or brain damage from Steve’s blows.</p><p>“I guess he did kill me after all,” he said weakly.</p><p>“No,” Peter said, his voice terse. “But we need to get you out of this suit and to a hospital. Do you think you can walk? I don’t think I’ll be able to move you with them while you’re hurt like this; it’s rough on other people. Though I guess I could carry you…”</p><p>“Kid,” Tony cut him off. “What the hell are you doing here? Sure, I get the hallucination thing, but I’d expect Pepper or Rhodey to make an appearance before you.”</p><p>Peter smiled fondly. “I totally get that. I mean, you hardly know me right now, but that’s going to change. Come on. Get the suit off. You look really bad.” He reached for the smashed chest piece and pulled it away.</p><p>Tony felt the jab of pain as it was tugged from his wounded chest, and then he gasped as a fact settled over him. If Peter was able to do that, he was really there.</p><p>“Hold on, you’re actually here! You’re not a hallucination. What are you doing here, kid? Did Happy bring you?”</p><p>Peter snorted. "You really think Happy enjoyed our last trip enough that he'd do it again? No chance. I'm here because…" He frowned. "I guess if anyone would believe it, it's you. I’m time traveling.”</p><p>Tony snorted a painful laugh. “Geez, kid, I knew you were pretty crazy, running around in your onesie, but this is a whole new level.”</p><p>Peter narrowed his eyes. “You know what, I’ll take that since I was kinda crazy recently and you’re probably in shock, but I’m not crazy now. I’ve come from 2023.”</p><p>Tony frowned and then laughed again. “You need to do the math for your next attempt, kid. You are not twenty-two.”</p><p>Peter sighed. “Damn, you’re difficult. No, I am not twenty-two, well, only technically in that I was born in 2001, but I am from 2023 because something happened that made me miss some years. Now, am I going to have to pull this suit off by hand?”</p><p>"Probably," Tony said tiredly. "Friday's offline, so all tech is down."</p><p>"Fine," Peter huffed, beginning to pull the plates of armor off him. Each tug jostled Tony, which hurt, but it did feel better to be out of it. Ordinarily, he felt stronger than ever in the suit, but after being so brutally beaten in it, he just wanted it off.</p><p>When the armor was gone, Peter hooked his arms under Tony’s shoulders and hefted him to sit, and then all the way to his feet, supporting his weight as Tony slumped against him.</p><p>“God,” Peter whispered. “Steve really messed you up. Would it be an abuse of time travel to find him and Bucky again to kick his ass? I know it wasn’t a one-sided thing, but he deserves at least a broken nose.”</p><p>Tony laughed and then groaned. "Kid, I have no idea how you're here, it's sure as hell not time travel, but if you could quit making me laugh, that'd be great. I've got broken ribs."</p><p>Peter’s face fell. “Yeah. Sorry. I’m babbling. It’s probably shock. I’ve never seen you hurt like this before. I guess I know how you felt after all my… uh… misadventures now. Now, let’s get you out of here. People are waiting for you.”</p><p>Tony grunted. "I think people have got more going on than worrying about me right now. Rhodey's a mess, and Pepper wants nothing to do with me."</p><p>Peter stopped and stared at him. “Hmm, self-pity, that’s new. Okay, if it’ll cheer you up, I’ll drop a spoiler alert. Pepper, she’s going to be Mrs. Stark one day, and that’s not going to be it…”</p><p>Whatever else he said was lost as Tony's mind reeled and eyes swam. He could feel Peter slinging his arm over his shoulders to support him, but he could also feel a hand on his face and someone squeezing his arm.</p><p>“What’s going…” His vision darkened and then brightened in the glow of a lamp beside the bed on which he lay, and his eyes filled with Pepper's face as she patted his cheek and called his name.</p><p>“Tony,” she said with obvious relief. “Are you okay? I think you were having a nightmare. You were crying out. You were talking to Peter.”</p><p>Tony sat up and rubbed a hand over his face. “I was. I think…” He shook his head. “He was there.”</p><p>“In your dream?”</p><p>“No. He was in Siberia.”</p><p>His mind swam again, dual memories fighting for prominence. In one, the one he knew had happened for real, he remembered ripping himself out of the suit and walking the three miles to the town near the bunker where Steve had abandoned him, every footstep agony. He’d only been able to drive himself on by thinking of Rhodey, how he needed him after his injury. He’d had nothing else to cling to after losing everything else.</p><p>In the other memory, the one that had replaced the first, he remembered Peter helping him walk, half carrying him, and chattering the whole time as Tony tried to wrap his mind around the possibility that the fourteen-year-old kid he'd recruited had found his way to Siberia alone or that he actually was a time traveler.</p><p>In the end, he'd decided he didn't care, since the kid's chatter was so good to hear, positive, and the promises of the future he'd given gave Tony strength.   </p><p>He took a breath and then told Pepper what he’d seen and now remembered, what it meant.</p><p>“So, Peter actually went back in time to Siberia that day to help you?” she asked.</p><p>“Yes. When it happened before, without him, I laid there for hours before I chose to fight to live. I’d lost everything, Pep: you didn’t want me, Steve had beaten me bloody, the Avengers were over, and it wasn’t until I thought of Rhodey that I moved. But I know now that he was there. He changed my past.” He shook his head. “That shouldn’t be possible, but…”</p><p>“But he has the Stones,” she finished for him.</p><p>"Exactly. He has the Stones." His smile faded into sadness, and she hugged him.</p><p>“You miss him.”</p><p>“God, I do. I miss him so much, and it’s been weeks now since he came to Clint’s, but knowing what he's doing out there, the people he's saving for us, and the way he helped me, I feel selfish wanting him to come back. It's like I'd be limiting him if he was here."</p><p>Pepper leaned against his side and placed her hand over his heart. "He'll come back, Tony. When he's ready, when he's done all he needs to do, he'll come home, and you won’t limit him at all.”</p><p>Tony kissed her hair. “I hope so. If for no other reason than the fact Morgan is going to drive me nuts if he doesn’t.”</p><p>She laughed. “You think you’ve got it bad? I have to deal with Morgan <em>and </em>you without him. Hell, if I could find him and drag him back for a visit, I would. But he will come when he’s ready, and I think then he’ll be here to stay.”</p><p>Tony nodded. He hoped Peter would stay, because he really did miss him with an ache that was almost physical, but he was so proud of him for what he was doing.</p><p>Peter had taken one of the worst moments of his life and transformed the memory. He’d saved him.</p><p>He wanted to thank him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It’s my favorite time of the week again—It’s Update Day! <br/>You’ve all been awesome with the support for the series so far, and I’m beyond grateful to you all. Story V isn’t exactly going great, but knowing you’re all here, reading and enjoying, is pushing me to come back to this world day after day. <br/>I hope you enjoy this chapter with an amazingly tough character to write.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Loki was drifting. He had been drifting for a long time, what felt like an endless time in his eons of life, and he had no hope of ever stopping.</p><p>He remembered a hand around his throat, he remembered his neck being crushed and being sure life was abandoning him, and then there was nothing, a blast, and he was left floating, drifting.  </p><p>He floated in darkness. Even when he opened his eyes, which he rarely did now as it was difficult to be aware of where he was, he saw nothing to cheer him, just darkness and stars.</p><p>He spent more time with his eyes closed, his mind drifting, too. He thought of the many years of his life, centuries passing with his brother at his side. He remembered his crimes, and they taunted him. He remembered trying to make amends, to save his brother’s life and end the trauma that would come at the hands of that purple monster that he knew so well, had served, and he wished he had done better. He had been fooled. Loki, the Trickster, had failed. If only he’d been faster, smarter. He wondered what had happened to the world after his fall. Was Thor still alive? Were any of their people alive? Did anyone in the world live at all?</p><p>The idea that he might be the last person in existence, floating through eternity, scared him. Somehow, knowing that life went on for others, for Thor, made it easier to bear his fate. He felt that if this endless floating was his punishment for his crimes, it was a fair one. If only it had come sooner, then he would never have strayed from the path of goodness at all, and so much pain could have been spared.</p><p>He was thinking of Thor again, immersed in the memory of a feast to celebrate a hard-won battle in which Thor had declared a drinking contest which Loki had lost, leaving Thor and Lady Sif to battle it out until Thor was insensible and Sif victorious. It was a pleasant memory, and when things changed, he did not immediately realize what was happening.</p><p>At first, it was a sensation of eyes on his face, and then something touched his shoulder. He forced his eyes to open and saw something that made him sure the drifting had driven him mad at last. There was a child beside him. He didn't seem to be floating the same way Loki was, arms and legs spread, head lolling. The child was upright and obviously in control of his body, a trail of rainbow light at his feet.</p><p>Loki frowned at him, “Who are you?”</p><p>After so long of not speaking, he was not surprised that his voice was a bare whisper, but the child heard it.</p><p>“Peter Parker,” he said, oddly cheerfully. “How did you end up here?”</p><p>Loki closed his eyes again. “Thanos.”</p><p>The child gave a soft curse and then spoke, his words making Loki’s brow furrow with confusion as he was clearly not addressing him. “Space, you’d know, is this a good idea?” There was a pause. “Got it. Cool. Now I’ve just got to find him and hope he doesn’t try to chop my head off.”</p><p>“What are you talking about?” Loki asked.</p><p>"I'm going to take you to Thor," the child said. "Well, I'm going to try. Hopefully, Soul can track him and Space can get me there. It's going to be a rough ride, though, or maybe not. You're a god, and you're used to switching around space, I guess, so it might be okay."</p><p>Loki stared at him and then said, “This is quite personal, you know,” as the child placed his arms around Loki in a cradling bridal embrace.</p><p>“Yeah, it’s not great for me either, but I’m not risking losing you halfway by towing you with me. As my friend MJ would say—suck it up. Also, brace yourself.”</p><p>Loki didn’t know how to obey, or even why since this wasn’t real, but his body locked down automatically, and his hands clung to the child as he felt a tearing sensation in his stomach and his chest felt as though it was being crushed. He squeezed his eyes closed and wondered if this was really madness or his long hoped for—but never expected—salvation.</p><p>He jostled as he was slammed to a halt, and then he was being set on his feet. His eyes squeezed shut at the burgeoning light, and his face seemed to burn with the sun that played on it. After so long of darkness and the inability to do more than float, this was overwhelming.</p><p>“Take a breath,” the child said. “It’ll get easier.”</p><p>Loki obeyed, taking slow breaths until he felt calm enough to open his eyes again. His skin still burned, but his eyes had adjusted. He was standing at the edge of a cliff overlooking a stormy grey sea, and there was a large boulder at the end of a clearly manmade path. He turned and saw that it led into stone walls with an open wooden gate and a town of grey stone buildings beyond it.</p><p>“Where am I?” he asked.</p><p>“It was apparently called Tønsberg, but your people have taken it over. It’s now called New Asgard. Cool, right? I mean, they just made a new one.”</p><p>Loki stared at him. “My people are here?”</p><p>“Yeah. I don’t know how many there are, but Soul says Thor is here. You ready to go see him? Can you walk? I’m guessing you don’t want the big reunion with you playing the damsel in this crazy story by me carrying you.”</p><p>Loki tested himself, taking a step forwards, and found he could walk. “Take me to Thor,” he instructed.</p><p>The child laughed. “Huh, Power is dead on with Star-Lord, but you’re not Space, not exactly anyway.” He shrugged. “Come on them. You might need to do me a favor, though. Last time I saw your brother, he was pretty eager to kill me, so if you could put a good word in for me, that’d be great. I really don’t want to fight him.”</p><p>Loki chuckled. “You would be annihilated.”</p><p>“Would I?” The child quirked an eyebrow. “You think I can’t defend myself? I did just pull you out of the deepest reaches of space.”</p><p>“You make an interesting point. I will request that Thor not try.”</p><p>They started walking towards the gate, the child keeping his pace to Loki’s limited speed, and Loki heard the sounds of a bustling town. The child walked through the gate and then stopped and waited for Loki to follow him.</p><p>Voices became louder, and Loki saw someone pass beyond it: a woman he remembered as a server in the feasting hall. She stopped and turned to look at them, her eyes wide, and then she made a small sound of shock and ran away, calling for Thor.</p><p>"Is this going to be an uncomfortable family reunion?" the child asked curiously. "I know you and Thor have history."</p><p>“I have no idea,” Loki said honestly. “It could go in either direction. I thought I made amends before my death, but I may be wrong.”</p><p>"Huh. I guess we hope for the best and expect the worst." Seeing Loki's frown, he said, "It's something my aunt used to say. She was a nurse. When she took the ER shifts, she said, you had to hope for the best and expect the worst."</p><p>“She sounds wise.”</p><p>“She was,” the child said, a fond look in his strange eyes.</p><p>They passed through two buildings and onto the cobblestone road. People stopped their activities dead when they saw them, and Loki heard his name being whispered in marveling voices. The child led them right, and then Loki heard a shout that combined shock, joy, and incredulity. </p><p>“Loki!”</p><p>He looked right and saw Thor running towards him. His eyes—he now had two again—were wide, and there was a smile on his face that did not dispel the deep frown on his brow.</p><p>“Hello, brother,” Loki said, his voice stronger now.</p><p>Thor slammed into him so hard he would have fallen had Thor’s arms not wrapped around him and steadied him.</p><p>Thor clung to Loki, his breaths heaving his chest, and then pulled back and held him at arms’ length.</p><p>“How?” he asked.</p><p>“I do not know,” Loki said honestly. “This child saved me from the abyss.”</p><p>Thor's eyes darted to the child, and his eyes narrowed. "You."</p><p>The child waved a hand, a glimmer of rainbow light dancing over his fingers. “Yep. Peter Parker. Risk. You wanted my head. I’m hoping you’ve changed your mind.”</p><p>Thor stared at him. “You saved my brother?”</p><p>“Well, I gave him a ride. He was already alive. I wasn’t even looking—just passing through. But when you see an Asgardian god floating through space, the right thing to do it see if you can help.”</p><p>Thor gaped for a long moment and then did something that caught both Loki and, clearly, the child off guard. He rushed at the child, arms extended, and then bounced back when he was a foot away.</p><p>The child looked a little embarrassed as Thor frowned at him. “I wasn’t sure if that was a hug or an attack, so I figured better safe than sorry."</p><p>“I meant to embrace you,” Thor said.</p><p>The child laughed. “Ahh, okay. I think we should skip it anyway. It’d be awkward for us both. I’ve got to go anyway. Uh… take care of him. He’s been through a lot, what with floating through space for years, and he might need a little support.” He patted Loki’s shoulder. “Be good. I don’t want to have to come after you when you try to destroy New York again.”</p><p>Loki’s mouth dropped open. “I would not—”</p><p>The child held up a hand. “Better safe than sorry; that’s another of my aunt’s sayings. I’ve really got to go now.” He waved. “See you.”</p><p>Before Loki or Thor could say anything else, the child stepped back and then flew into the sky in a stream of rainbow light.</p><p>Thor stared at the point he'd disappeared and then gave his head a brisk shake. He placed his arm over Loki’s shoulders and said, "Come with me. I will take you home. You need food and drink and rest."</p><p>Unable to argue, because he knew his brother was correct, Loki allowed himself to be led along the road, the eyes of observers fixed on them.</p><p>“Who was that child, Thor?” he asked.</p><p>There was weight in Thor’s voice as he answered, guilt. “That is the child that saved the world, whom I would have killed given a chance.”</p><p>“Why?” Loki asked.</p><p>"That is a long story that I will tell you one day. It is sufficient to say that I was wrong about him, though. He is a gift, not a threat." He stopped and locked eyes with Loki. "He brought you back to me."</p><p>Loki stopped the sharp retort that was on the tip of his tongue, the argument that the child had done nothing more than transfer him to this place. He would be wrong to say it. The child had saved him from an eternity of floating through space, brought him home to his brother, and he was going to struggle to find a way to repay that gift.</p><p>He thought he should find a way, though. Benevolence was not in his nature, but there were some debts that demanded repayment.</p><p>“I told you, brother,” he said as Thor helped him walk. “The sun would shine on us again.” He looked around at the faces of their people. “It seems it is shining now.”</p><p>“Yes,” Thor said. “I think that, now, it is.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… Loki has joined the story. Writing him intimidated the heck out of me as he’s even tougher than Thor—there’s a reason Space doesn’t talk much ;-) I wanted to give him and Thor a little happiness, though. Tell me, was the struggle of attempting Loki’s PoV worth it?<br/>Until next time…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Thank you all so much for the reviews and support. I see the numbers climbing on stats, so I know new people are joining the series through With Great Power and Hold on a Second Longer all the time. It means so much to me that you’re giving the story a chance. If you’re one of my new readers, welcome to the story.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So… How much do you hate me right now? You know I never make you wait too long before updating, so just sit tight for a while, and I'll deliver. I've got something special planned thanks to Windify. <br/>Until next time… <br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bucky had woken early, and he showered and dressed on autopilot then gone outside to sit by the lake. He’d stared up at the sun as it crept over the mountain opposite, dawn creeping into day, and wished Peter was there.</p><p>He’d seen him.</p><p>The night before, he'd been having a familiar dream of waiting to become the Winter Soldier, one that he knew almost word for word from the many times he'd had it, but it had changed. A kid had come and spoken to him, a kid he'd not known in his dream but knew now. Peter had come. </p><p>The way he’d felt when he’d woken, the deep inner peace that was the new memories of the years that followed, had changed him and how he felt. He knew those years after his first glimpse of Steve, the days in hiding, and been lonely and frightening before, but now he remembered the promise that had given him hope—Steve, friends, a family—loving that kid.</p><p>Now he woke with it all in his mind, and he knew just how great a debt he owed Peter, and he admitted to himself for the first time that he really did love him, that he was family. He’d already known he would fight and die for Peter, that he cared about it him, but now he knew that was more than protecting someone that mattered to him—it was protecting the kid that he thought of as family. Tony was Peter’s father, he knew that and wouldn’t ever step into that, but Peter was the kid brother he’d needed and not realized. He’d allowed himself to love Steve because that had come before the Winter Soldier, but now he could let himself love Peter and trust that it was right, safe.</p><p>Peter had changed him when he came to him that day.</p><p>There was a tap in the window behind him at the same moment a car appeared out of the lake and pulled to a halt. He watched through the windshield as Tony cut the engine and climbed out, and he knew, with his first clear look at his friend’s face, that Bucky wasn’t the only person whose dreams Peter had appeared in that night.</p><p>Tony walked towards him, then stopped, head tilted, and said, "Did he come to you, too?"</p><p>Bucky nodded. “Steve and Sam a few nights ago, Wanda, too.”</p><p>“And it’s changed things?”</p><p>“It’s changed <em>everything</em>,” Bucky said emphatically.</p><p>The door opened, and Steve called out, "You're not the only ones. Come on in."</p><p>Bucky and Tony filed inside and into the kitchen to where Sam was pouring mugs of coffee for them all.</p><p>Bucky grabbed one then took a seat beside Tony at the table.</p><p>“So, have you all seen him now?” Tony asked.</p><p>“I saw him last night,” Bruce said.</p><p>“Us, too,” Bucky said, gesturing between himself and Tony. “And it was a big moment that he changed?”</p><p>"For me, it was the worst moment on my life," Bruce said. "I was about the put a bullet in my brain, and he showed up and…" His forlorn face morphed into a smile. "I guess you could say he ‘Peter’d’ me out of it. He told me about The Avengers, how I'd have family, how I'd be a hero. He just… Damn, he changed everything.”</p><p>“I was with Hydra,” Bucky said. “He told me pretty much the same thing. Tony?”</p><p>Tony’s eyes, which had been brimming with pride, moved to the tabletop, and he said, "Siberia, in the bunker. He came to get me out."</p><p>Steve swallowed hard and said, “Tony…”</p><p>Tony held up a hand. "You don't need to say it, and I don't need to hear it. That's done." He frowned. "But it was your worst moment, Bruce?"</p><p>Bruce nodded. “The very worst.”</p><p>“Mine, too,” Sam said. “He came when Riley was shot down.”</p><p>Tony frowned. “Mine was a big moment, a bad one, but it wasn’t my worst. There’s been other things—Pepper falling into the fire, watching Peter turn to ash on Titan—that were worse.”</p><p>“Perhaps it was the moment we needed him most,” Steve said. “You thought you lost Pepper, and you did lose Queens, but you still had people there for you after. Siberia, after what happened, you were alone.”</p><p>Tony nodded. “Yeah. It took me hours to move when it happened the first time, before he changed it. I just lay there.”</p><p>“So, you really did need him,” Sam said, nodding.</p><p>“It was the bomb for me,” Wanda said. “When Pietro and I were hiding under the bed in the rubble. He took the bomb away and flew us out.” She smiled slightly. “He told me we were going to be heroes. I was ten years old, terrified, and he gave me hope.”</p><p>“You are a hero,” Vision said, squeezing her hand. “And Pietro was, too.”</p><p>A tear tracked down Wanda's cheek, and she rested her cheek on Vision's arm.</p><p>A silence fell over the room as they sipped their coffees and considered, and then Steve said, “Do you think he’ll come back soon? I mean, what else is there for him to do now?”</p><p>“I was thinking that before,” Tony said. “I wanted him back, needed him, but I saw last night that I’d be limiting him if he was here. How can he do any of the things he’s doing if he’s with us?”</p><p>Sam frowned. “You don’t want him back?”</p><p>Tony narrowed his eyes. “No, I want him back more than anything else right now, but that’s for me, not him. I think he needs to be out there, doing this stuff, for his own good.”</p><p>Bucky’s heart sank. He wanted Peter back. They could find a way for him to do the things he needed and wanted with them, too.</p><p>“No!” he said loudly. “He’s coming back.”</p><p>Tony raised an eyebrow. “He probably will, but—”</p><p>“But nothing. He can be with us and do what he needs to do. The Stones aren’t… They’re not his now to take him away. That’s not what makes him worthy. He’s doing what he needs to do now, learning and using them, but he’s coming back.”</p><p>Tony stared at him a moment, lips quirked into a smile, and then he picked up his coffee and sipped at it without a word.</p><p>Bucky was sure he was right, though. Peter was not worthy because he would travel space and time, saving people that deserved to be saved and helping them all deal with their dark pasts through the Stones', through <em>his</em>, power. He was worthy because he’d taken the power he’d been given by the spider bite to help people, even though he was just a kid, and then he’d been prepared to give everything up to save the world. That didn’t mean he had to leave them all behind.  </p><p>Friday spoke up, breaking into Bucky’s thoughts, and said, “Boss, I have intercepted contact from Thor for you. He tracked my technology.”</p><p>Tony's head snapped up, and he paled. "Thor's looking for me?"</p><p>The tension in the room grew exponentially. The last time they’d seen Thor, he’d wanted Peter dead, scared of the possible threat he posed with the Stones. They’d heard nothing since. Bucky didn’t know if Tony had tracked him somehow, but he’d not been mentioned at all.</p><p>“Yes, Boss. Shall I accept the call?”</p><p>“Won’t send a text to keep in touch, but will track an AI across the world,” Bruce muttered, eyes fondly amused.</p><p>“Put it through,” Tony said, placing his cell phone on the table.</p><p>A hologram spread from Tony's phone, and Thor's face appeared. He looked different to the last time they'd been him. He'd trimmed his long beard and hair, and he was carrying less excess weight. He also looked a lot happier than he had been last time.</p><p>“Thor,” Tony said cautiously. “What can I do for you?”</p><p>“I am looking for Peter Parker,” Thor said with a wide smile.</p><p>Sam cursed under his breath, and Bucky's hands fisted.</p><p>“Why do you want Peter?” Tony asked, his voice a growl.</p><p>Thor looked puzzled for a moment, and then his eyes widened, and he said, “I mean him no harm. I wish to speak to him again, that is all. I did not have a chance before he left, and I was distracted, but I owe him my thanks and apology.”</p><p>Steve shifted in his seat, and Bucky leaned back, his heart speeding, wondering if this was a trap.</p><p>“What exactly do you want to thank Peter for?” Steve asked.</p><p>Thor looked around. “Steve, are you there, too?”</p><p>“We all are,” Tony said. “Hold on.”</p><p>He moved the phone to the end of the table so that they were all in view of the camera. Thor beamed at the sight of them, as if their parting had been friendly and not a result of them all standing against him to protect Peter.</p><p>“Hello, friends,” he said happily. “How are you all?”</p><p>Bewildered looks were exchanged, and Steve raised a hand in greeting and said, “We’re good. What did Peter do that you want to thank him for?”</p><p>“He saved Loki,” Thor said.</p><p>Bucky sucked in a breath. He'd not expected this. Having never met the Asgardian god, all he knew of him was what he'd been told, and it wasn't good. Loki had been the reason New York was almost destroyed in the Avengers' first mission together. He wasn't the kind of person Bucky thought Peter would want alive.</p><p>“Loki’s alive!” Bruce exclaimed. “Did Peter bring him back?”</p><p>Tony shot him a sharp look. Bucky was wondering the same. Just because Peter was capable of bringing people back, it didn't mean he would do it for everyone. As far as Bucky knew, the only connection Peter had to Loki was that Space wore his image to speak to him, and surely that wouldn't be enough. And was there even a Stones connection to his death? Bucky didn't know. They'd never discussed it.</p><p>“He is,” Thor said happily. “After Thanos attacked us and the ship was destroyed, Loki was cast into space.” His smile disappeared. “He drifted there for years, Bruce. He was helpless and alone. I had no idea; I thought he had to be dead.”</p><p>“How is he?” Bruce asked.</p><p>Thor smiled again. “He is healing well; you know he has always been resilient. Peter found him in space, he said he was just passing, and he brought him back to me. I tried to embrace him, but he used his power against me again to hold me away.”</p><p>“Are you surprised?” Bucky asked darkly. “He saw the conversation we had in which you wanted him dead through the Stones. You should be grateful he came near you at all.”</p><p>Steve quirked an eyebrow at him and muttered, “Are you surprised, Buck? It’s Queens.”</p><p>Bucky shook his head. “I guess not.”</p><p>Tony cleared his throat and said, “Look, Thor, I’m happy for you that you got your brother back, but none of us know where Peter is. As you’ve probably figured out, he’s using the Stones to travel right now.”</p><p>“He is,” Thor said. “It’s incredible. <em>He</em> is incredible. I am amazed by his growth.”</p><p>The way he was saying it, as if Peter was a friend of his, as if he’d never threatened his life, made Bucky’s anger rise and his pulse pound in his ears. He’d heard enough. He didn’t want Thor or his brother anywhere near Peter, and he was going to make sure they weren’t.</p><p>He got to his feet and made for the door, to get away from the conversation. He was almost out of the room when Friday cut across Thor’s voice as he extolled on his joy of Loki’s return and said, “Boss, an emergency call from Home Base is coming in.”</p><p>“Connect it,” Tony said.</p><p>Bucky looked back as Thor's face vanished, and Rhodey’s strained voice cut in. “I’ve got a problem, Tone.”</p><p>“What’s going on?” Tony asked.</p><p>“There’s a bomb. I’ve got it out of the courthouse, but I can’t get it high enough to drop before it explodes.”</p><p>“What!” Tony shouted, jumping to his feet. “Rhodey, drop that damn bomb now and get out of there.”</p><p>“Can’t,” Rhodey said curtly. “Too many civilians below.”</p><p>"Rhodey, the suit can't take—" Tony cut off and shouted inarticulately as there was the sound of an explosion, and then the call cut to static. "Friday, get him back!" he bellowed. "Get Home Base online now!"</p><p>“Sorry, Boss,” she replied. “The War Machine suit is now offline.”</p><p>Tony slammed his fist down on the table, curses streaming from him, and then he ran from the room, rooting in his jacket pocket and slapping metal bands onto his wrists.</p><p>A moment later, Bucky heard a door being thrown open and the sounds of thrusters as Iron Man shot into the sky. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yes, it’s Monday. Yes, I’m updating. I figured you deserved an update after the cliffhanger ending last time. <br/>It was fun to see your reactions to the way the last chapter ended, and I hope the resolution doesn’t disappoint. We’re nearly done with this story. The final chapter will be posted Saturday, and the first chapter of Story IV — which is called No Man Can Wn Every Battle — will be posted Sunday.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Rhodey shifted restlessly in his seat. He was back in DC for official business, and he was worried. The last time he'd been here, he'd had to War Machine his way out of a window to escape arrest. His name had been cleared now, but that was no guarantee it would stay that way. </p><p>He’d been summoned the represent The Avengers at the plea hearing of the former vice president and the others that had been accused of working with Ross when he made his deal with Thanos. He felt no guilt that they were falsely accused as they were also all people that had a part in seeking Peter to be used for their own ends. Perhaps some of them were a part of how Peter had been taken to The Raft and tortured in the name of brainwashing.</p><p>No, Rhodey felt nothing for them as what he was protecting by doing this was far more precious to him that their freedom.</p><p>This was for Peter.</p><p>Peter was on his mind a lot that morning, even more than he’d expected with being here, because of what had happened in the night. He’d dreamed of the day the search for Tony in Afghanistan had been stood down, one of the worst days of his life and definitely the day he felt most helpless. Peter had changed it. He’d come and comforted Rhodey, in his unique way, and given him hope. That hope had stayed with his as they searched the arid desert for Tony, and it had been on his mind when he’d seen his best friend staggering across the sand towards him. When he’d held Tony in his arms and thanked God for saving him, he’d also thanked Peter Parker for bringing him there.</p><p>When he saw him again, he would hug the crap out of him and tell him exactly how much he'd been given with that small action.</p><p>The accused were brought in, and Rhodey rose for the judge’s entrance. The judge gave the room a stern look and then glared at the box where the accused stood. The hatred towards them was huge, more even than it had been when Ross was alive. Without him to serve justice upon, they were the outlet for everyone's feelings. </p><p>The fact that Ross was now suffering on a far-off planet alone wasn’t all the justice Rhodey would have wanted, but it was apparently enough for Peter, which was what mattered. </p><p>They were all seated, and the accusations were read out, then Rhodey’s head snapped right and he stood as he heard a disturbance outside the vast room, a shout, two gunshots, and then the doors burst open. </p><p>A woman in a neat pantsuit and red blouse ran in, a stain of blood in her shoulder where he assumed one of the bullets he’d heard had hit. She ran to the middle of the room and cried, “This is for the Returned!” raising the black briefcase in her hand.</p><p>Rhodey was out of his seat in a heartbeat, his hand slapping down on his chest and sending his suit out to spread over him. In the next, he was at the woman's side, gauntleted hand hitting on her on the back of the head and knocking her unconscious. He snatched up the briefcase from which he could hear faint beeping.</p><p>“It is armed with C4 explosives, Colonel,” Home Base reported. “Enough to take out the whole building and everyone in it.”</p><p>Rhodey was sure there wasn’t time to disarm it, even if there was a way to get the briefcase open without triggering the bomb, so he did the only thing he could do. He shot a blast through the vast window and flew through it, the briefcase in his hand.</p><p>“Emergency protocol is to contact Tony Stark,” Home Base reported. “Connect call?"</p><p>"Sure, why not," Rhodey said tersely. "I guess I should say goodbye to someone, at least."</p><p>He knew what he was doing was going to cost his life, the suit was in no way able to handle the blast of this size, and yet he felt oddly at peace with it. He wondered if this was how Peter had felt putting on the gauntlet and snapping. He thought it probably was. Peter was worthy, after all. The thought that he shared some aspects of nature with Peter was a nice one to have in these final moments. Peter was the very best person he knew.</p><p>He shot into the sky as Home Base declared that he was connected, and he said, “I’ve got a problem, Tone.”</p><p>“What’s going on?” Tony asked, his voice holding impatience and tension.</p><p>“There’s a bomb. I’ve got it out of the courthouse, but I can’t get it high enough to drop before it explodes.”</p><p>He was shooting into the sky, the thrusters too loud to hear the clock ticking down, though he knew it was, and he was sure that there was little time left to him.</p><p>Tony’s reply was a shout.  “What! Rhodey, drop that damn bomb now and get out of there.”</p><p>“Can’t. Too many civilians below.”</p><p>He knew there were. He was high enough now that the blast shouldn't even touch the highest buildings below him, and the people would be safe, but if he let it go to escape himself, it would drop and people would die.</p><p>Tony’s voice was panicked as he replied. "Rhodey, the suit can't take—"</p><p>Before he could finish, the briefcase pulsed in his hand, a strange thing to notice, and then there was a blast of noise, a rush of heat, and rainbow light filled his vision.</p><p>After that, there was nothing.</p><p>xXx</p><p>“Boss, I have not been able to connect to Home Base, but there are reports on the news channels,” Friday reported as they shot towards Washington DC.</p><p>“Show me,” Tony said, his voice hoarse and his eyes prickling with tears that he refused to let fall. “Now!”</p><p>A small screen appeared in the corner of his view, and a voice came through, speaking in a professional tone that did not quite conceal the excitement of the situation.</p><p>
  <em>“This just in from Washington DC. Colonel James Rhodes, also known as War Machine under the Avengers banner, has this morning played a pivotal role in the saving of many lives. Reports say that a woman brought a bomb into the Supreme Court's sitting for the plea hearing of the group known as Thanos' Earth Allies, and War Machine was able to remove the device before it could explode. With the power of his suit, he was able to fly the device over one-thousand feet before it exploded. We have footage of the explosion."</em>
</p><p>Tony made a sound of pain and forced himself not to tell Friday to cut the video. He didn’t want to see his best friend’s death, but he felt he owed it to Rhodey to watch. He’d given his life to save all those people in a suit that Tony had not built to be strong enough to save him. The least Tony could do was witness his heroism.</p><p>He saw the suit flying into the sky, thrusters blasting, and then there was a vast explosion, and the suit disappeared in a blast of fire and smoke.</p><p>“Dammit, Rhodey,” he whispered.</p><p>“Look to the right corner of the video, Boss,” Friday instructed.</p><p>Tony obeyed and saw a flash of silver falling away from the fireball and out of sight.</p><p><em>“As you can see, War Machine was blasted out of the sky by the explosion,” </em>the anchor continued. <em>“We have no update of his condition, but it’s believed he was thrown into the Potomac River. </em></p><p>“Wait! Friday, is he alive?” Tony asked urgently.</p><p>“I do not know, Boss. I wouldn’t believe it was possible for the suit to withstand a blast of that size, but there were definitely portions of the suit visible in that video.”</p><p>“Get me there now,” he snapped.</p><p>There was the faintest hope in him now, an inkling of something that he’d believed impossible, and he clung to it with all his might.</p><p>“Friday, put in a call to Peter,” he said.</p><p>Perhaps Peter could get there, do something. This was not a death connected to the Stones—if it was a death at all—but there might be something Peter could do. He’d done things Tony couldn’t imagine already, and he would do anything for Rhodey, Tony knew. Peter loved him. If anyone could fix this, it was Peter.</p><p>“No possible connection,” Friday reported. “Peter is off-world.”</p><p>“Then record a message,” Tony said. Friday gave him the go-ahead, and he launched into speech, "Pete, I need you in Washington DC, right now. Something’s happened to Rhodey. I’m on my way to him, but I don’t know if… Kid, I have never needed you more than I do right now. It’s life and death. As soon as you get this message, come.”</p><p>
  <em>“Breaking news! The War Machine suit has been retrieved from the shore of Lake Potomac. We do not know if Colonel Rhodes is alive, but he’s being transported to George Washington University Hospital by helicopter. No news or announcement yet from Tony Stark or any other Avenger.”</em>
</p><p>“Redirect to the hospital, Friday,” Tony instructed. “And make sure we’re using all possible power for speed. Call Steve and tell him what’s happening. They should already be on their way. And keep trying to connect with Peter.”</p><p>“Yes, Boss,” she said calmly. “I suggest you initiate deep breathing techniques for calming. Your heart rate and pulse are indicative of an impending anxiety attack.”</p><p>Tony scoffed. “This isn’t anxiety, Fri.”</p><p>“What is it, Boss?”</p><p>"This…" Tony said, feeling his quick breaths and racing heart fully now, "this, Friday, is pure damn terror."</p><p>xXx</p><p>Tony slammed down on the roof of the hospital at the same time as the helicopter. He ran towards it as Rhodey was unloaded.</p><p>He was shocked and furious to see Rhodey was still in the battered suit, pieces hanging off of him.</p><p>“What the hell are you doing?” he shouted. “Get him out of the suit!”</p><p>“We can’t,” one of the people unloading him said. “It’s crushed against him.”</p><p>Tony felt a chill of horror at the thought Rhodey could he dead inside that suit, that they’d done nothing for him, and he shoved the people away and ripped at the crushed suit, freeing it piece by piece until Rhodey was revealed.</p><p>“Friday, report,” he snapped.</p><p>“Colonel Rhodes has a strong pulse and no visible injuries, internal or external,” she said.</p><p>“Wait, what the hell?”</p><p>“I can detect no injuries. He appears to just be unconscious.”</p><p>Tony looked at Rhodey's lax face, and his mouth fell open. It was a miracle that Rhodey was alive at all, but to not be injured…</p><p>Tony knew the War Machine suit, he’d built it, and he knew there was no way he could have defended Rhodey against the blast enough for him to be uninjured. It seemed impossible that he was even still alive. The fall alone into the river should have killed him.</p><p>He'd never doubted Friday’s assessment before, he’d designed and built her, too, but she had to be wrong this time.</p><p>“Get him inside,” he commanded. “I want you to do every single test you can think of. I don’t care if you think it’s needed or not, do it!”</p><p>Without a word, they gathered around Rhodey again and ran towards the open elevator. Tony shed the suit and followed after them, wanting to be as close to Rhodey as possible.</p><p>When they reached the trauma room, Tony was told politely but forcefully that he could not stay, and he saw the room was too crowded for him anyway. He didn’t want to get in the way of the people helping his friend, so he started for the door.</p><p>Before it could close behind him, though, he heard a rough voice speaking, and he spun and raced back to the side of the bed, shoving a doctor away to get there.</p><p>Rhodey's brown eyes blinked up at him, and he said, "Baby Monitor Protocol, Tone. It was Pete.”</p><p>Tony’s head fell forward, both with relief at the sound of his friend’s voice and the joy at the awareness in his eyes.</p><p>“Baby Monitor Protocol,” he sighed.</p><p>“Yeah,” Rhodey agreed. “It was the Stones.”</p><p>“Mr. Stark, you need to give us space to work,” a man said.</p><p>Tony patted Rhodey’s shoulder, now trusting Friday’s assessment of Rhodey’s condition, and said, “Let them check you out anyway. Pete’s good, but you did hug an exploding bomb today.”</p><p>Rhodey huffed a laugh. “I didn’t hug it. What I did was very manly and heroic.”</p><p>“It was,” Tony agreed. “And I’m pissed as all hell about it. If it wasn’t for Peter…”</p><p>Rhodey caught his hand and squeezed it. “If not for Peter, I’d be dead, but he saved me.”</p><p>“Mr. Stark,” the man said, voice sterner now.</p><p>“I’m going,” Tony said.</p><p>He got out of the room and headed through a door to a bank of seats. He took out his phone and instructed Friday to send a report to Steve and the others that Rhodey was alive.</p><p>That done, he leaned back and closed his eyes. “Damn, Pete,” he sighed. “You never stop surprising me.”</p><p>xXx</p><p>Peter entered the hospital, sunglasses on his face, and walked straight to the elevators, the Stones drawing him towards his family. He was focused on Rhodey, but he could feel them all close. He moved up to the third floor and then took a right onto a ward.</p><p>A man was standing at the nurses' station, and he looked up at Peter passed. "Hey, kid, can I help you?”</p><p>Peter turned and pasted on his best smile. “Yeah, I’m here to see my Uncle, Colonel James Rhodes.”</p><p>He looked him up and down and said, “Your uncle.”</p><p>“Yes.” Peter crossed his arms over his chest. “My uncle.”</p><p>“Peter?”</p><p>His head snapped right, and he saw Bucky and Steve standing just outside a door down the hall.</p><p>Without a word, he ran towards them and was greeted by Bucky pulling him into a hug as Steve called back to the man, "It's okay. This is Colonel Rhodes' nephew. He's allowed in."</p><p>The man nodded, and Steve muttered, "Security is tight around Avengers, Queens. Come on. There's people in here that want to see you."</p><p>Peter followed him into the crowded room where cheers of his name sounded, and he was met once again with a body colliding with his and arms wrapping around him. This time it was Tony, and he held him tight enough to constrict Peter's breaths. Tony was shaking slightly, and Peter rubbed his back.</p><p>When Tony finally released him, he held Peter’s face in his hands and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Thank you,” he said fervently. “Thank you, Pete.”</p><p>Peter smiled. “Uh… you’re welcome.”</p><p>Tony laughed and tugged him towards the bed, where Rhodey was sitting up with his legs crossed. He looked perfectly healthy, as he should, and he was grinning.</p><p>“Baby Monitor Protocol,” Rhodey said wryly.</p><p>Peter grinned. “Yep. My money was on Tony being the first to trigger it. You were way down on the list. What happened?”</p><p>“He got blown up!” Tony said angrily. “Damn idiot carried a bomb into the sky and didn’t let go in time.”</p><p>Peter’s eyes bugged. “You did <em>what</em>?”</p><p>Rhodey waved a hand. “I’m fine. I’m only here to give the public some semblance of an explanation for how I'm alive. Tony's pinned everyone here down with NDAs, so no one will know about the actual not-even-having-a-bruise part of it."</p><p>Peter nodded, but he was still shocked. When he’d set up the protocol, it had been a failsafe in case anything happened that he couldn’t get back for. He was imagining bumps and bruises—perhaps traditional Avengers threats, aliens and monsters. He’d never imagined one of them being caught up in a bomb blast. </p><p>“Come sit,” Rhodey said, shifting over on the bed and patting the spot beside him.</p><p>Peter sat down and leaned against Rhodey’s side.</p><p>“So, bud,” Bucky said from his spot leaning against the wall, “you’ve been busy. Been visiting…”</p><p>Peter gave him a cautious smile. “Do you remember me being there? Did it change anything?”</p><p>“It changed <em>everything</em>,” Rhodey said, putting an arm around his shoulders and hugging him closer.</p><p>“We remember how it was before you came,” Bruce said. “But that’s more like a dream. What came after you were there is what feels real, and that’s what made the years that followed easier.”</p><p>Peter beamed. “Awesome. I hoped it would change things, they said it would, but it was a risk; I could have made it harder for you all.”</p><p>“You made it better, Pete,” Tony said, sitting down at his feet and squeezing his ankle. “Really.”</p><p>“That’s good,” Peter said, his relief washing through him. “What else has been happening while I’ve been gone?”</p><p>“We got a call from Thor,” Steve said with a raised eyebrow. “He’s looking for you to say thank you. He’s definitely changed his mind about killing you since you saved his brother from space.”</p><p>“Great,” Peter said. “Him wanting me dead was a bit of a downer. You know, it was pretty crazy—I was just passing when I saw Loki floating there. I didn’t even know if I should do anything about it, but Space said he was relatively good and he deserved help, so I did. Did Thor say how Loki is now? I mean, he was just floating there all that time.”</p><p>“Thor says he’s okay,” Bruce said. “Loki is strong.”</p><p>Peter smiled and relaxed among his family for a moment, and then Bucky said, with intensity, “You going to be coming back for good soon?”</p><p>To Peter’s surprise, Tony shot him an annoyed look.</p><p>“Uh… soon, yeah,” he said. “I’ve done almost everything I set out to do, and I’ve definitely learned to use the Stones. I want to see May and Ben again for a while, and there’s someone else I want to find, but yeah, it won’t be long.” He tilted his head to the side. “Maybe a couple weeks.”</p><p>Tony's annoyance seemed to fade in an instant as he grinned. "Make it ten days, and you can be there for Morgan's birthday."</p><p>Peter’s eyes widened. “It’s Mo’s birthday? Wow. Yeah, I’ll be there. You’re having a party, right? You’ve got to have a party.”</p><p>Tony laughed. “We’re having a couple parties. There’s one at a ??? with all her friends, and another, saner one with all of us at the Compound. The rebuild isn’t completely done, but the main rooms are finished, the living areas, and we're planning to do most of the celebrating outside. Clint is coming and bringing his kids. We've invited Scott, too."</p><p>Peter frowned. “Scott… Oh! Ant-Man that can also become Giant-Man? Great. Yeah, I’ll definitely be there.”</p><p>Tony smiled. “Perfect. Now, just because Rhodey’s got to stay here, there’s no reason the rest of us can’t go out and get some food.” He raised an eyebrow at Peter. “I’m guessing you’ve been missing meals again?”</p><p>“Only a couple,” Peter said. “But I am hungry now.”</p><p>Rhodey lifted his arm, and Peter slipped off the bed. "I'll come back later," he promised. "And I'll bring food."</p><p>Rhodey smiled. "Yeah, bring me a pizza, and I'll forgive you for taking off now."</p><p>Peter grinned. “See you later.”</p><p>Bucky put his hand on Peter’s shoulder and guided him out of the room and down the hall. Peter was feeling good. He wasn’t quite ready to come home properly, and it would never truly be for good with so much out there for him to see and do, people he cared about, but he was going to enjoy his time with his family now. </p><p>And he’d definitely be back for Morgan’s birthday.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… The idea for the Baby Monitor Protocol came from a comment from the wonderful Windify who said — It’d be cool if Peter protected Tony even when he isn’t with him. Like, cast a spell on him or something like that so he will know if he’s safe.  I took that idea and ran with it which created this chapter. Baby Monitor Protocol is probably going to be back in other stories in the series, so keep an eye out for it. <br/>Until next time… <br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx<br/>Other news: I finished posting the last chapter of the sequel today. It's called Finding Something To Fight for. It covers the events from Tony getting back from Titan to Morgan’s birth, and I think it adds something new to the series. If you’re inclined, give it a look and let me know what you think.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Welcome to the last full chapter of Story III. I loved writing this story, and I’m sad to be sharing the end with you as it’s been a fun journey. I have Story IV written and in the process of being pre-read and edited though, so once the epilogue is posted Saturday, we’ll be moving right into Story IV Sunday.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Vitali was a planet that partied, at least in the capital it was. There were casinos and clubs, restaurants and theatres, show halls and stadiums for concerts.</p><p>When Carol Danvers wanted to unwind and relax, she went to the lakes of Pritam; when she wanted family, she went to earth; when she wanted good food and a party, she went to Vitali.</p><p>Today, she wanted good food.</p><p>She wandered along the streets, which were a hive of activity, music playing and people talking. She was deciding where to eat, her mind buzzing with the atmosphere around her, and spotted a restaurant specializing in vegan food and cold beer. She took a seat under the canopy and picked up the menu. A waitress came, orange skin made up immaculately and black hair coiled on top of her head.</p><p>“What can I get you?” she asked, her thickly accented voice making the words a little harder to understand with Carol’s limited knowledge of the Vitalus language.</p><p>“I’d like…”</p><p>“Hey!” a cheerful voice said. “You’re hard to find.”</p><p>Carol watched as the kid dropped into the seat opposite her and beamed. She recognized him at once as the boy from the battlefield, the one that had ended the fighting with his snap. Peter Parker, his name was, and she was shocked to see him here when her last sight had been him being carried into a portal, barely alive.</p><p>“Peter, right?” she said.</p><p>He nodded. “And you’re Captain Marvel.”</p><p>“Carol,” she corrected.</p><p>He smiled slightly. “Carol, yeah, and I’m Peter Parker.”</p><p>“I remember.” She turned back to the waitress and said, “Can we have a few more minutes.”</p><p>The waitress gave Peter a curious look and then walked away.</p><p>Peter looked around, rainbow eyes taking everything in, and said, "This place is cool. But you <em>really</em> are hard to find. I've been looking for a while. I can get a lock on you, but then you move on again. You must be really busy."</p><p>She stared at him, taking in the obvious earth-bought clothes, the rainbow eyes and bright smile, and the sense of palpable power she could feel emanating from him.</p><p>“You’ve changed,” she noted.</p><p>He laughed softly. “Yeah, you could say that. So have you, though. Where’s your suit? I liked it. It was kinda space-age awesome.”</p><p>She laughed. "I like to blend in sometimes. It's all an illusion, though. You see what I want you to see." She ran a hand down the sleeve of her cream sweater and blue jeans, and they shifted into her usual closely fitted suit. He blinked, mouth open, and then grinned as, with another stroke of the hand, it disappeared and was replaced with her casual outfit.</p><p>“Cool!” he said eagerly.</p><p>“How did you get here, Peter?” she asked. “Are you with The Avengers?” Her eyes scanned around, looking for a sign of them.</p><p>“No, I came alone. I’ve got to head back soon. I’m not sure of time differences, but I’ve got maybe a couple more hours. I don’t want to miss the party.”</p><p>“But you were looking for me?”</p><p>“I was. Mind said it was important that we all be allied in case something happens again. I met with everyone else, but you were the last. Not that you were the last choice, definitely not, but you were the hardest to find.”</p><p>He broke off, panting, and she smiled. "Okay. There's a lot in that to unpick, but shall we eat first? You hungry, kid?"</p><p>He rolled his eyes. "Always." He picked up the menu, and his eyes roved it up and down then he lowered it and said, "Can you order for me? I eat pretty much anything, but even though I can read the words and speak them, I’m not good at it. I mean, I was on this other planet, in a store, and I tried to order a slushie and ended up with sanitary napkins.”</p><p>She laughed, her hands clutching her stomach. “How did you manage that?”</p><p>He buried his face in his hands. "I don't know. I mean, Space and Mind translate for me, so maybe I messed up the pronunciation or something. Either way, I was a lot more careful after that. I pointed at things on the menu. Sometimes it's cool, I get to try all kinds of new things, but sometimes you want a slushie and get something that… Well, it’s not like <em>I’ll</em> ever have a use for <em>them</em>.”</p><p>She read the menu and decided to order the same for them both. She caught the eye of the waitress who was clearing a table close by, and when she approached, she said in Vitalus, "Two tofu, fettari and redskin potato salads, please. One beer and…" she eyed the kid for a moment, “a blue peach soda.”</p><p>Peter watched her speak, seeming to be trying to work out what she was saying, and then he shrugged and thanked the waitress as she smiled at him and walked away.</p><p>“So, Peter Parker, you going to explain the eyes?” she asked.</p><p>“It’s a long story,” he said.</p><p>“It’s something to do with the Infinity Stones, isn’t it?” she asked.  </p><p>He blinked. “How do you know that?”</p><p>She shook her head. “Your eyes are a rainbow made of their colors, you were the one that put on the gauntlet and snapped, and the Stones disappeared. I’ve seen a lot in the universe, Peter, so I pay attention.”</p><p>He laughed. “That makes it all so much easier. I never know who’ll want to kill me when they find out. Thor did, and when I finally told the Guardians, Rocket thought they could sell me for a bounty. Luckily, Gamora and Star-Lord were on my side, and Drax actually punched him. He flew so far I thought he’d never get up again.” His smile faded. “I felt a little bad about it, but he soon bounced back. Apart from a few insults and complaints about missed opportunities and the cost of living, he gave it up. Besides, who would he even sell me to?”</p><p>She shrugged. “There are a lot of planets and a lot of dangerous people out there.”</p><p>“There are,” he agreed. “I’ve met some of them, but I won’t be used. I learned my lesson, and I’ve been studying peaceful resistance. I won’t let <em>that </em>happen again.”</p><p>She thought there was a deeper story there, and she wanted to know it, but their food arrived then, and Peter dove in with a word of thanks, managing the spiral chopsticks with more ease than she'd managed in the beginning. </p><p> She allowed him to clear half his plate, eating her own as she waited, and then said, “Tell me about the Stones, Peter.”</p><p>He sipped his soda, cleared his throat, and then launched into an incredible story that beat even her town strange tale. She listened in silence, absorbing it all and marveling.</p><p>When he was finished, he went back to his meal, and she said, “You would have more insight than me, so do you sense a threat coming?”</p><p>“I don’t,” he said. “Not really, though I always kinda expect one. The Stones say we've got to be ready, that something will undoubtedly come. I told you the part about being immortal, right? It might take a thousand years, but it'll come, and I'll need to be ready."</p><p>“A thousand years,” she said wonderingly. “You’ll be alone then, you know that, right?</p><p>His face fell, and a shadow of pain filled his eyes. "I know. At least I won't have my family then, no, but there will be more people to take care of. I can stop the people I love from being hurt, but I can't stop them from dying of old age. Time said there have always been powerful people, enhanced, though, and there will be again. We're working on something for me, I don't want to be aged a millennium—imagine the wrinkles—if it comes, but I will be there for it.”</p><p>“That’s a lot of responsibility. Are you scared?”</p><p>He lifted his chin, and the pain was replaced by something like defiance. "Of course, I'm scared, but I don't get to lose myself to that. Someone's got to do it, and the Stones chose me."</p><p>“How old are you, Peter?”</p><p>He shrugged. "Sixteen? As old as the universe? Both at once. I am Peter Parker, and I am the Stones. Peter is sixteen, the Stones are ancient, I am something in between, I guess."</p><p>She nodded, ate the rest of her meal, and then finished her beer as he sipped his soda.</p><p>“I haven’t sensed danger outside what I am used to,” she said. “But I agree with the Stones—we need to be ready. You said you have spent this time learning the Stones’ power and your abilities?”</p><p>“Among other things, yeah.”</p><p>“And you were a superhero on earth?”</p><p>He snorted. “Really not. I was just kinda… helpful. Some people said I was a vigilante, other people said thank you. It’s all about perspective. But I’m nothing like Tony or the other Avengers.”</p><p>“But you need to be,” she stated.</p><p>Peter's eyes widened, and she expected an argument, but then his gaze became distant, and he said, "Yeah, apparently, I do." He sighed. "You know, I was looking forward to getting home and just being with them all again, maybe taking some time to be Spider-Man again. That's not happening, is it?"</p><p>She shook her head. “Not if I have my way, no. I think you need to be trained in combat.” She drained the rest of her beer. “Luckily, you say you’ve got a family of Avengers that can help you learn. And I’ll do my part to help. You said you know Fury.”</p><p>He nodded. “Yeah. He helped me work out a problem I had.”</p><p>“Then he will tell you how you can reach me. When you need me, when you’re ready for my training, call me, and I'll come. In the meantime, I am going to do what I do."</p><p>"Sure. Okay," Peter said, though he did not seem as cheerful as he had been before. He rooted in his pocket and pulled out a battered wallet. "I think I've got some Vitalus currency in here somewhere."</p><p>She placed his hand over his and said, “I’ve got it. You’ve got a party to go to, remember.”</p><p>He brightened. “I do. You want to come?”</p><p>She raised an eyebrow. “Are you asking me on a date?”</p><p>He laughed. “No way! Not that you’re not beautiful, because you are, totally, but I’d be punching way above my weight asking. Besides, there’s a little age gap that I don’t think Tony would like.”</p><p>“You’re probably right,” she said. “Go to your party stag, Peter Parker, and I’ll see you soon.”</p><p>He got to his feet. “Thanks for lunch. I’ll call when I need you. And you’ll find me if anything happens— if you need me?”</p><p>“I will.”</p><p>He waved and disappeared into the milling people. She set down the money for the bill and followed him at a distance as he made his way into an alley. She pressed herself against the wall and watched around the corner, wondering what his particular transportation method would look like compared to hers. She was not surprised to see that it was a rush of rainbow light that shot into the sky and disappeared.</p><p>Yes, Peter Parker was powerful and interesting, eager in an endearing way that she was going to use to prepare him to fight.</p><p>xXx</p><p>“Relax. He’ll be here,” Pepper chided as Tony’s eyes roved the scene for a sign of Peter. </p><p>The newly laid lawn outside the compound was busy with people and open-sided tents covering food and drinks tables. Clint’s youngest child, Nathaniel, was playing with Morgan, and his older two, Lila and Cooper, were filling plates of food under their mother's watchful eye. Natasha and Clint were getting drinks with Steve and Sam, and Bruce was talking with Bucky, Scott and Hope on one of the laid out benches, towering plates of food on their laps.</p><p>There were many other people here, too, Stark Industries employees who had come to check out the new compound before relocating here and had been brought to the party to make a dent in the food that Tony <em>might </em>have overordered in his eagerness to make it a good day.</p><p>Pepper placed a bottle of beer in his hand and said, “Drink, Tony, relax.”</p><p>He sipped the beer and wrapped an arm around her back, hugging her close.</p><p>He looked across at Happy and Rhodey, who were standing by the obstacle course that Bucky had designed. Happy's eyes were also roving the scene—though for him it was about security—and Rhodey looking at something on his phone.</p><p>The party had started an hour ago, and Tony had made sure Peter knew the time and exact location before he took off the day after Rhodey's incident in DC. Tony thought he would have arrived already. Morgan was distracted for now, but if Peter didn't make it, she would be disappointed—though they’d not told her he was coming in case he ran into trouble and missed it.</p><p>Something appeared in the corner of Tony’s eye, a flash of light, and he relaxed. “Finally,” he muttered.</p><p>He kissed Pepper and walked away, around the building to where he thought the light would have stopped. Sure enough, Peter was tugging off his mask and pulling on a pair of jeans that he’d taken from his backpack.</p><p>Tony crossed his arms over his chest and said, “You’re late.”</p><p>Peter looked suitably guilty, “I know, I know, I’m sorry. I didn’t miss too much, though, did I? I thought I’d make it, since I left Vitali with an hour to spare, but then I saw… Would you believe I caught space pirates trying to hijack a tourist ship? Because I did. And that took time to sort out. A couple people were hurt, but they're okay now; I dropped them off in a hospital on Hytarn, which they said has the best medical technology—but they obviously don’t know about Wakanda. Anyway, I’m really sorry, I am. I’ll make it up to Morgan, and—”</p><p>Tony held up a hand. “Breathe, kid. Morgan didn’t know you were coming, so she’s not aware she missed anything, and I don’t blame you for being late if you were Spider-Manning in space. It sounds like you were doing a good thing. And you’re here now.”</p><p>He nodded eagerly. "I am, and I brought a gift. I made it myself." He pulled on a hoodie, then took a small box out of his bag and opened it.</p><p>Tony took out the action figure inside and examined it. It wasn’t the best craftsmanship he’d ever seen, but the face of his daughter was defined, as was the emblem on the suit she was wearing.</p><p>“Is that…”</p><p>“It’s a Spider-Morgan,” Peter said eagerly. “I made it myself. I was on this planet that’s supposed to be the hub of arts and crafts in the Phoenix Nebula, and I traded some time cleaning for a couple days’ lessons and time with the tools. It’s made of something called Kingam, which I think is like a plastic that you can carve with water. I had help painting it, too, because that is <em>so </em>not my thing.” He looked up at Tony. “Does that make it cheating?”</p><p>Tony looked at the figure in his hands, and he smiled. "It's perfect, not cheating at all, and Morgan will love it. He handed it back to him, and Peter stowed it in the box. "You ready to see her?”</p><p>“Definitely,” Peter said, putting on his sunglasses to conceal his unusual eyes from the civilians he’d see then started away at a jog.</p><p>Tony laughed and followed, hearing Peter's excited call of, "Mo!" followed by a squeal from his daughter. When he got back to the party, he saw Morgan was in Peter's arms, and she was lifting the lid of the box.</p><p>Her eyes widened when she saw it, and she gasped, "It's me in your suit! It is, isn't it? It's me?"</p><p>“It’s <em>your</em> superhero suit,” Tony said. “A Spider-Morgan.”</p><p>She held it up to her face and then threw her arms around him. “I love it. Love, love, love it. I’m going to ask Daddy to make me a suit just like this so I can play. I can show all my friends that I’m Spider-Morgan.”</p><p>Tony sped his pace to them and said, “I can do that, Maguna, but remember you can’t tell anyone who Spider-Man really is or that Peter has magic.”</p><p>She rolled her eyes. “I <em>know</em>, Daddy. Momma told me. I’m good at secrets. I have lots.”</p><p>Tony raised an eyebrow. "You've got secrets from Momma and me?"</p><p>Her hair bounced with the force of her nodding head. “Yes! Lots!”</p><p>Tony wasn’t sure how he felt about that, but he supposed the secrets of a five-year-old were easier to deal with than the secrets his enhanced sixteen-year-old son might keep.</p><p>“Come play, Peter,” Morgan said, wriggling free of Peter’s arms and tugging his hand. “I want to show my present to Momma, and then you can show Lila and Cooper your flips.”</p><p>“No flips!” Tony called after them. “You’re wearing sunglasses, Pete.”</p><p>Peter nodded. “Sorry, Mo, no flips. My eyes are secret, too, here, and the glasses will fall off.”</p><p>She sighed. "Okay, but you can play races with us. You can carry me, and their daddy can carry them. Or we can play on the obstacle course together. Daddy wouldn't let me go on it alone. Then—” She stopped and looked up and him. “Are you going to stay all day?”</p><p>Peter knelt down and hugged her, “I’m going to stay lots of days, Mo. I’ve done all the important things I had to do now, so I can stay a long time and only go away for little bits at a time.”</p><p>Morgan squeezed her arms around him. "Yay! Are you going to come and live in our house? You've got a room. Daddy made it when he came home. It's got Star Wars bedding, and I picked the posters for the wall."</p><p>Peter’s smile didn’t fade, but he looked a little conflicted. “I can stay sometimes, Mo, definitely. But I’ve got to stay with everyone else sometimes, too, and there’s not room for all of us in your house, is there?”</p><p>She sighed. “No, but you have to stay sometimes so we can play.”</p><p>“I will,” Peter promised.</p><p>She released him and dragged him away towards Nathaniel, who was now with his mother and father.</p><p>Tony felt eyes on him, and he looked up to see Pepper approaching. He smiled and said, “He made it.”</p><p>“I told you he would,” she said. “Do you know how long he’s staying?”</p><p>“A while. Actually…” He put his arm around her. “How would you feel about us staying here for a while, just while Peter settles in. Everyone else is planning to move here from The Tool Shed, and there's plenty of room."</p><p>Pepper smiled. “You want your family together.”</p><p>“I do,” he said. “It won’t be for good, I know, but just while Peter settles.”</p><p>She shrugged. “Sure. I’ve got conditions, though; we need our own space, and Morgan needs to stick to a routine; no disappearing off to see Peter whenever she likes. But I’d like time with our family together, too.”</p><p>Tony cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.</p><p>She was the perfect woman. She’d given him the greatest gift in Morgan, she gave him her love, and now she was giving him a chance to make a home with all his family together for a while.</p><p>He couldn’t be happier.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… What do you think? Peter has met all the characters I thought it was important for him to meet now, and he’s home for a while. We just have an epilogue left which will set us up for Story IV. Our new villain for the series will be introduced, too. Any guesses as to who that will be? <br/>When Morgan’s birthday was mentioned, some of you were excited about the party and the guests. I know this chapter is lacking as I didn’t think you’d be interested in seeing Peter interact with others here. I was wrong. If you would like an outtake one-shot of more of the party, let me know. Also, if there are any particular events you would like to see included or characters you want to see Peter interact with, let me know and I’ll see what I can do for you.  <br/>Until the next story…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well, here we are, the end of Story III. Thank you all so much for coming on this journey with me. There are far fewer of you with me now than were there in the beginning for With Great Power, and I appreciate you even more for sticking with me. Your comments and kudos have meant the world to me.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
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    <em>Epilogue</em>
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</p><p> </p><p>She felt a subtle shifting in the space around her.</p><p>The barriers that had held her in this place for an eternity had weakened. Something had changed.</p><p>Her first thought, one that brought a burst of hope to life in her center for the first time in an eternity, was that it had happened at last. The only explanation she could think of was that <em>he </em>had finally succeeded in his mission. He'd made it possible for her to be free. It had taken so long—and so little—and she’d begun to think it never would, but there was definitely something.</p><p>If he had succeeded, it was her triumph, too. It showed that she had not put her faith into the wrong person to free her after all. It had been almost impossible to reach him, and communicating had taken time and all her energy. To bring him under her thrall was even more challenging as he'd been committed to his own mission, but it had worked. </p><p>As it should.</p><p>She was the most powerful being in the universe with the greatest judgment of nature. The single greater power than her was <em>them </em>united, and that was not possible. She had broken them apart in the very beginning. It was her that would unite them, take them back, and then…</p><p>Well, then, anything and everything was possible. </p><p>She threw herself at the barriers surrounding her and felt them stretch and bend. Filled with joy and anticipation, she knew herself forward again—slamming into them. They stretched, and she felt a little give, the touch of the outside creeping towards her. Giving a cry of exhilaration and effort, she threw herself forward, and she felt the walls buckle and break.</p><p>With a rush of elation, she broke out and into the shining Multiverse, free at last. The colors whipped around her, surrounding her, and she basked in them.</p><p>She took a little time to appreciate what she had, the freedom, and then she focused herself. There were things to do.</p><p>She was surprised that <em>he</em> was not waiting for her, but she’d known setting him on this path could come at a cost. If his life was the price of her freedom, it was not something she would grieve. She lived for herself alone. Even her name decreed it.</p><p>She needed to be sure, though, as she’d planned to use him after. If he had perished, she would find a new host. She would not live as disembodied power and thought forever. She needed a form of life to take back what was hers and to control the power.</p><p>With a pulse in her center, she threw out her hooks and found him. She felt them catch and tether to him, not quite alive but not dead either. He was on the Soul Plane. It was not the plane of peace as she knew it should be made by its creator. It was destitute and empty; he was alone there. How it had happened, she didn’t know, but she would soon find out.</p><p>She allowed herself to be pulled towards him, into a place with a slate grey sky and ground made of shallow, rippling water over sharp rocks. This was not the place it should be. The Soul Plane was peace and happiness, a reunion of loved ones. If she did not know better, she would have thought its creator was punishing him, giving him this place. But that Stone did not punish.</p><p>Ahead of her, there were the ruins of a stone gazebo with carved columns that looked to be falling apart. Beneath it was the being she’d come for. He sat with his head in his hands and his shoulders slumped.</p><p>His surroundings, presence, and pose told her this was not his success, not a place to rest himself, but his defeat, and it posed a new question of what could have freed her if not him.</p><p>She glided towards him, and he looked up, his huge face morphing from sadness into fear. She enjoyed the expression on the face she had never seen; he’d only been a voice and sense of being to her before.</p><p>She allowed her power to pulse towards him, a warning, then asked, “What did you do, Thanos?”</p><p>He blinked his violet eyes, looking into the glowing white light that was her form now, then bowed his head. “I failed you.”</p><p>“Did you fail me or deceive me?”</p><p>With a heavy sigh, he looked up again, seeming to force himself. “I did both. I deceived you when I served my own plans before freeing you, and then I failed. I failed twice.”</p><p>Pushing aside the fury of his betrayal not wholly unexpected—she would come back to that later—she said, “Who defeated you?”</p><p>His eyes narrowed and jaw jutted with remembered anger. “There was a child…” </p><p>Ego listened to his tale, heard the words, and saw the pictures they created, and she began to plan her attack, which would take time and a new ally. She needed someone that could travel through the endless dimensions to find the right one, and she needed to find the right time to attack, before he could touch the Stones.</p><p>Still, it was not a huge challenge. She was targeting a boy, a mere child, easily defeated, called Spider-Man.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… Who is She? I’m sure you’ve worked it out already. I’m excited about this villain as she’ll be the force behind the last three stories in the series—particularly the last two. <br/>Until the next story…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Extended Scene - The Birthday Party</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here we go.  A few of you wanted to see more of the party, so I did my best to  make it happen. It’s pure family fluff. I hope you enjoy xxx</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Morgan liked Nathaniel. He was younger than her, so she got to be in charge. It was different from when everyone pretended she was in charge, like Momma, Daddy, and Peter, because they were the ones that made the rules really. With Nathaniel, she was older and so the boss. She was showing him the obstacle course that Daddy said was made for Peter to train on with his friends. Most of it was too big for her, but she could sit on the bars and swing her feet where Nathaniel couldn’t reach without her help. She liked being able to help him. Usually, it was her that needed all the help.</p><p>She was just telling him about her house by the lake and saying her daddy might bring him there to visit as he was friends with her daddy when she heard someone call, "Mo!"</p><p>Even if she didn’t recognize his voice, which she always did, she would know that was Peter because he was using her special name for her, which no one else in the world shared. </p><p>She squealed and looked around for him. He was jogging around the corner, though he looked a little strange because he was wearing sunglasses. She didn't mind, though; he was still her Peter. She ran to him and jumped into his arms and squeezed him as tight as she could. He squeezed her back, and she felt his chest rumble against hers with a laugh.</p><p>“Happy birthday, Mo,” he said, pulling back to look at her. “You ready for your gift?”</p><p>“You got me a gift?” she asked.</p><p>As special as it was to have a gift from Peter, she wouldn’t have minded if he brought nothing as long as he came. She’d missed him so much when he’d been away, and she knew Daddy did, too. He had a Peter Day when he was gone. He would be extra happy now Peter was back.</p><p>He shifted Morgan onto his hip and handed her a red box. It wasn't heavy, but she could feel something bumping around inside it.  She gasped, and her eyes went wide when she opened the lid. Inside was a doll about the same size as the Avenger’s action figures which Uncle Rhodey bought her for her birthday, the ones that made Daddy groan and say he only did it because there was a War Machine figure in the set.</p><p>This one wasn’t an Avenger, though. It was Peter’s special suit, but it didn’t have a mask. She examined it and gasped again when she realized whose face she was looking at. "It's me in your suit! It is, isn't it? It's me?"</p><p>“It’s <em>your</em> superhero suit,” Peter said. “A Spider-Morgan.”</p><p>She threw her arms around him, her tummy wobbly with the happy feeling. “I love it. Love, love, love it. I’m going to ask Daddy to make me a suit just like this so I can play. I can show all my friends that I’m Spider-Morgan.”</p><p>That would be the best. Peter could wear his suit, and she could wear hers. Maybe if she was wearing a suit, Momma would let her swing with Peter. Momma said Daddy made Peter the safest suit in the world to protect him, and Daddy said you have to protect the things in the world that were precious to you, which is why he made Momma a suit—and that was why Morgan knew he would make her a special suit that she could be a hero in one day, too. But if she was in a suit like Peter’s, if it was as safe as that, she could swing no problem.</p><p>Daddy rushed to them and said, “I can do that, Maguna, but remember you can’t tell anyone who Spider-Man really is or that Peter has magic.”</p><p>Morgan rolled her eyes. Daddy was being silly again because he’d already made Morgan <em>promise </em>to never tell anyone that Peter was a superhero or that he had magic. She knew it had to be secret.</p><p>“I <em>know</em>, Daddy. Momma told me. I’m good at secrets. I have lots.”</p><p>Daddy’s eyebrow rose. "You've got secrets from Momma and me?"</p><p>Morgan nodded and giggled. “Yes! Lots!”</p><p>She had <em>loads </em>of secrets, though some of them didn’t matter anymore.</p><p>One of her secrets was that she knew where Momma kept her candy, and she would sometimes take one without asking first. Another secret was that she had seen Gerald eating the goji berries and not said anything because he seemed so happy when he was doing it, and she knew Momma would make him stop. </p><p>Her most secret of all her secrets was that she’d once asked Friday to print a picture of Peter and Daddy together like the one Daddy had in a frame, before Peter came back. She kept it in a baggie in her toybox, and she used to take it out and look at Peter when she wanted to talk to him. She would tell him about her friends and the things she did. She’d always kept it secret, though, as she knew it would make Daddy sad. That one didn’t matter anymore because she had the real Peter to talk to.</p><p>Daddy looked like he was going to ask for her secrets, and she didn’t want that because she’d either have to lie or tell him, so she wriggled free of Peter’s grip and tugged his hand. “Come play, Peter. I want to show my present to Momma, and then you can show Lila and Cooper your flips.”</p><p>“No flips!” Daddy called after them. “You’re wearing sunglasses, Pete.”</p><p>Peter nodded. “Sorry, Mo, no flips. My eyes are secret, too, here, and the glasses will fall off.”</p><p>"Okay, but you can play races with us. You can carry me, and their daddy can carry them. Or we can play on the obstacle course together. Daddy wouldn't let me go on it alone. Then—” She stopped and looked up at him then, a question occurring to her. She didn't want to waste all their time playing with other people if they didn't have much. Peter was always going away, so she might not have much time with him to play. If they only had a little, she would have it just be her and him, not share him with other people. “Are you going to stay all day?”</p><p>Peter knelt down and hugged her, “I’m going to stay lots of days, Mo. I’ve done all the important things I had to do now, so I can stay a long time and only go away for little bits at a time.”</p><p>Happiness filled Morgan’s stomach like a big balloon, and she squeezed her arms around him. "Yay! Are you going to come and live in our house? You've got a room. Daddy made it when he came home. It's got Star Wars bedding, and I picked the posters for the wall."</p><p>As soon as she said it, she realized she probably shouldn’t have as Daddy had said Peter’s room was a surprise. Still, it could be a surprise if she told him instead of Daddy.</p><p>Peter kept smiling, but he looked a little funny. “I can stay sometimes, Mo, definitely. But I’ve got to stay with everyone else sometimes, too, and there’s not room for all of us in your house, is there?”</p><p>Morgan sighed. There wasn’t room for everyone. Her house had four bedrooms. One for Momma and Daddy, one for Morgan, one that Uncle Happy or Uncle Rhodey used when they came to stay, and one that used to be empty but was now Peter’s. There were lots of people living with Peter now, and there would be nowhere for them to sleep.</p><p>She sighed. “No, but you have to stay sometimes so we can play.”</p><p>“I will,” Peter promised.</p><p>Morgan was disappointed he wouldn’t live there all the time, but if he stayed sometimes, that would be okay.</p><p>She dragged him towards Nathaniel, who was standing with his momma and daddy, and held out her Spider-Morgan doll. "Look what I got!" she said. "Petey got it for my birthday.”</p><p>“Actually, I made it for you,” Peter said.</p><p>Nathaniel’s daddy raised an eyebrow. “You made that, kid?”</p><p>Peter nodded. “I found a place when I was traveling which was heavy into arts and crafts, so I made spent a couple days working to cover costs for me to make this.”</p><p>Nathaniel’s daddy chuckled. “It’s good. I’m impressed. You’re way more than just the Stones.”</p><p>Morgan didn't know what the Stones were, but she'd heard the word before when Momma and Daddy were talking. She thought it was another of the secrets, so she wouldn't ask. If she wanted her secrets to be kept, she had to let Momma and Daddy have theirs, too. That was fair, and Miss Becky said you always had to be fair.</p><p>Peter shrugged. “I guess.”</p><p>“I think it’s lovely,” Nathaniel’s momma said. “I can see the love you poured into making it.”</p><p>Peter’s hand found Morgan’s head, and he stroked her hair. She looked up at him and saw he was smiling widely, his cheeks a little red.</p><p>Lila and Cooper came over then, and Morgan held out her toy and said, her voice filled with pride. “Look what Peter made me for my birthday. He’s my brother. It’s a Spider-Morgan doll.”</p><p>Cooper nodded. “Cool, you’re a superhero like your dad and Peter.”</p><p>Peter choked and said. “Uh… what?”</p><p>Lila giggled. “We know you’re Spider-Man, Peter. We heard Daddy and Auntie Nat talking about it.”</p><p>Nathaniel’s momma groaned and elbowed his daddy. “Good job, Clint,” she said. </p><p>His daddy held up his hands. “Oh well. It’s not like they’re going to tell anyone. Our kids can keep a secret.” He looked at Peter. “I’m sorry, kid. I can tell you the rest is still secret, though. They don’t know about the other… stuff.”</p><p>Peter nodded and looked pleased, but Morgan wasn’t happy. She was good at secrets, but apparently, Nathaniel's dad was not. She didn’t know what would happen if people knew about Peter’s magic, but she thought it might be bad.</p><p>“Let’s go see Momma,” she said, tugging on Peter’s hand to get him away from Nathaniel’s daddy.</p><p>Peter waved a hand and allowed her to tug him to where Morgan’s Momma and Daddy were talking.</p><p>When they got there, she held up her doll and was about to tell Momma about it, but Daddy spoke first.</p><p>“Maguna, me and Momma have been talking about coming to live here for a while with Peter and all of Daddy’s friends. What do you think?”</p><p>Morgan bounced on her toes. “We can all live together?”</p><p>Momma nodded. “For a while at least, maybe until the end of summer when you start school. We’ll have to go home then. We thought it would be nice for the whole family to be together for a while.”</p><p>Morgan swung Peter’s hand. “We can play all the time if we live together!”</p><p>“We can,” he agreed, and she thought he looked just as excited as she felt about it.</p><p>“We’ll have rules,” Momma said. “We’re going to have a little apartment on our own, and you have to give Peter his space. He can’t play with you all day. He has things he wants to do, too.”</p><p>Morgan nodded eagerly. She knew Peter would be busy because he always was, but if they lived together, they’d have lots of time. They could play and have dinners and breakfasts together. It would be perfect.</p><p>“Sound good to you, Pete?” Daddy asked.</p><p>Peter nodded. “That sounds perfect.”</p><p>Morgan danced at his side, excited bubbles rushing around her tummy and making her heart skip.</p><p>She was going to live with <em>all </em>her family together. She could go see Peter when she wanted, play with him. He wouldn’t be going away for a long time again, though he might go for little times.</p><p>Morgan thought this was the best birthday present ever.</p><p>xXx</p><p>“You know, if I didn’t love my kids more than life itself, there’s no way I’d do this,” Tony grumbled.</p><p>Rhodey, bent at his feet, grinned. “And if your kids didn’t share such a great sense of humor, this wouldn’t happen. We’re all winners here.”</p><p>Pepper giggled. “Make sure they’re tight enough, Rhodey,” she said. “I don’t want to be disqualified because the knots give.”</p><p>Rhodey laughed, checked the knots, and said, “You’re good.”</p><p>Tony sighed. He did love his kids, and the fact his daughter wanted this as part of her birthday party was why it was happening. Still, he never thought he'd see the day he was roped into a three-legged race with his wife against Captain America and the Former Winter Soldier, not to mention Hawkeye and his wife and Tony's own kids who had cooked this idea up between them.</p><p>“You think it’s bad for you,” Rhodey said. “Look over there.”</p><p>Tony followed his finger and saw Bucky and Steve nudging each other and grumbling as Natasha tied their ankles together. Clint and Laura seemed content enough; in fact, they seemed to be talking tactics. The ones who were really enjoying this were Morgan and Peter, who were tied together and still somehow dancing to the music piping out from the speakers above the buffet tables.  </p><p>Pepper looked at them and smiled fondly. “You know, I wasn’t sure about this,” she admitted. “Us all living together. But it’s good for her to spend time with him. She’s never been this happy before. I think she’s going to love this. It’s going to be hard to separate them when we go home.”</p><p>Tony’s jaw jumped. He didn’t like to think of that day, which was going to come around faster than he’d like, he knew. He knew it was going to have to happen, but he wanted his kids together under the same roof. He wasn't sure Peter was going to be willing to live with them by the lake, though. If Tony got his way, and Peter went back to school, it would be too long a commute to Midtown every day. Way too long. And Tony didn't want to move them back into the city. Morgan loved the lake, and he'd wanted her childhood to be a peaceful one, not surrounded by paparazzi the way his had been.</p><p>He wasn’t going to deal with that until forced, though. They still had time.                                                                                                                            </p><p>Sam stepped up to them in his elected role as officiator and referee, checked all the knots, then said, “Line up at the start line, people. The race begins on my say so. First team through the ribbon Cooper and Lila are so kindly holding wins.”</p><p>Peter and Morgan got easily into place, Tony and Pepper met them there, although a little slower and with mumbled, “One two, one two,” to guide them. Clint and Laura managed well enough. The ones having the most trouble were Steve and Bucky, both of whom seemed to be going in different directions.</p><p>Morgan and Peter were watching them, hands over their mouths to stifle their giggles. Tony grinned at the evident happiness of his children and nudged Pepper. She watched them, too, a fond smile on her face. "He's a good brother," she said. </p><p>“I always knew he would be,” Tony said with satisfaction. “And so did Morgan.”</p><p>“She did.” She gave a small sigh. “Some days, I still can’t believe it really happened, that he’s back.” She looked pensive. “Is he taking off again, do you know? It’s hard on her when he does, and I don’t like to see her upset.”</p><p>Tony felt the exact same way, but he knew Peter had needed to go away last time. The times before that, when his daughter hadn’t been able to see him, were because he'd failed them both. </p><p>Still, as he happily told Pepper, Peter was sticking around now.</p><p>“That’s good,” she said.</p><p>“On your marks!” Sam shouted, bringing their attention back to what they were supposed to be doing. “Get set!”</p><p>Tony wrapped his arm around Pepper’s back and braced himself. He fixed his eyes on Sam, waiting for the moment, and as Sam called, “Go!” Morgan’s giggles started.</p><p>The rest of the partygoers were lined along the track, each choosing their own team to cheer. Lila, Cooper, and Nathaniel were cheering for their parents, Sam was cheering on Steve and Bucky, but the remainder of the people were cheering on Peter and Morgan with gusto. Even Rhodey and Happy, Tony's best friends, were cheering for the kids. Pepper and Tony were the only ones unsupported. </p><p>“They’re getting ahead, Buck!” Steve shouted.</p><p>“Then get on my team!” Bucky replied.</p><p>Tony couldn’t pay too much attention to what they were doing as he was focused on his and Pepper’s progress, but he could see that Steve and Bucky were veering right, off the track and onto the grass. He snorted and concentrated on his own path. Clint and Laura were ahead of them, and Peter and Morgan were bringing up the rear. He could hear a lot of laughter coming from them, though, so he figured they didn’t mind.</p><p>That was until he heard Morgan’s cry of, “We’re losing,” and then a satisfied chuckle from Peter.</p><p>In his peripheral vision, Peter and Morgan appeared and then sped ahead. He was momentarily confused, and he heard Pepper’s disbelief, and then he worked out how they were doing it. Peter was holding Morgan at his side, her left foot off the ground and his right, attached to his, being moved under his propulsion.</p><p>“Come on, Pep,” he said, filled with anticipation. “Those kids are going down.”</p><p>Pepper snorted, but they did speed up. Peter and Morgan were streaking ahead, though, giggles trailing behind them as Tony’s daughter enjoyed the adventure with her brother.</p><p>There was a shout and grunt, and Tony looked back to see Steve and Bucky had dropped. Attached at the ankle still, they were sprawled on the grass, both grumbling at each other about letting the team down. Tony laughed, and that was the distraction that lost them the race. He stumbled and fell, pulling Pepper down on his lap.</p><p>Defeated but amused, he looked ahead to see Peter and Morgan going head to head with Clint and Laura, who were way too good at this for it to be their first-time racing like this.</p><p>“Go on, kids!” he shouted. “Come on, Maguna. Kick their asses! Go, Pete!”</p><p>Pepper scolded his language, but she was laughing too, and after a moment, she started to cheer them on, too.</p><p>Morgan whooped, and Peter seemed to give up all semblance of playing fair. With Morgan clasped at his side, he began to sprint. There was no believing this was just a regular kid at the speed he was going, but most people there knew he was Spider-Man; Peter had already informed him that Clint had slipped up and his kids knew the truth of his identity, too. It was only the few hired in help that were replenishing the food and drinks, and they all seemed distracted.  </p><p>Lila and Cooper didn’t seem happy that their parents were about to be defeated, and they began to run, drawing the winning ribbon further down the track. Peter laughed loudly, Morgan squealed, and with a last spurt of speed, Tony’s children reached the ribbon and tore through it with a twist of Peter’s hands.</p><p>There were cheers from the assembled partygoers, and Peter bent to pull away the ropes and then lifted Morgan high into the air, above his head, and she squealed with happiness.</p><p>“Well, I’m not sure he’s teaching her the best lessons on sportsmanship,” Pepper said, “but she’s happy enough.”</p><p>“We’ll have time to teach her all of that later,” Tony said, untying their rope and freeing their ankles. “Pete will teach her all kinds of good stuff.” He knew that for sure. Peter had been judged worthy by the Infinity Stones, an impossible occurrence according to Strange, so Morgan was in safe moral hands with him.</p><p>Tony looked back over his shoulder and saw Steve and Bucky getting to their feet, faces amused now as they saw Peter and Morgan celebrating, and he grinned. “I think it’s time for the pinata, Pep.”</p><p>She laughed. “You’re an evil man, you know that?”</p><p>“I am,” he said, giving her a swift kiss. “But Morgan is going to get a kick out of this.”</p><p>He got to his feet and wandered to the car where he’d stowed the custom made pinata he’d prepared, stuffed full of candy, and themed to needle one of his team.</p><p>xXx</p><p>“Hey, Pete, give me a hand,” Tony called.</p><p>Peter lowered Morgan to the ground, gave her a quick hug, then rushed to Tony, who was carrying a bulky and covered package towards the monkey bars. He set it down and handed Peter a string.</p><p>“Get up there and tie this to the bar,” he said. “Not too high; Morgan’s got to be able to reach it.”</p><p>“Pinata?” Peter guessed.</p><p>“Yep.”</p><p>“Awesome.”</p><p>Peter climbed the bars and tied the knot tight to secure it, then dropped down and said, "Why's it covered up?"</p><p>“I want everyone to get the full impact,” she said, pulling out a stick that was painted with the colors of his suit.</p><p>Peter looked between the stick and the wrapped pinata and laughed. “Is this themed Captain America any chance?” he asked.</p><p>“Maybe.” Tony winked.</p><p>Peter grinned. “Sneaky. Mo’s going to love it.”</p><p>“I sure hope so. As long as Steve doesn’t, it’s all good.”</p><p>Peter cupped his mouth and called, “Pinata time. Gather round.”</p><p>Morgan was first to them, jumping into Peter’s arms. “Why can’t I see it, Daddy?” she asked.</p><p>Tony handed her the stick and said. “This is a special pinata, Maguna. Look at the stick.”</p><p>“It’s your special colors, like your suit.”</p><p>“It is,” Tony agreed. “And the piñata needs to be beaten down as it’s one of Daddy’s oldest and meanest enemies.”</p><p>Peter cackled evilly.</p><p>The group gathered, and Peter watched as Tony checked all eyes were on him before he tore off the bag covering the pinata, revealing the paper mâché replica of Steve's shield. There was laughter around them, but the loudest was Bucky, who clapped Steve on the shoulder and said, "You're going down, Steve."</p><p>With an indulgent smile, Pepper came and handed Tony the blindfold. “Who’s up first?” she asked.</p><p>“Me!” Morgan said, bouncing in Peter’s arms.</p><p>He set her down and held her hand as Tony tied the blindfold around Morgan’s eyes and then began to turn her on the stop.</p><p>“No more, Daddy,” she cried. “Dizzy.”</p><p>"You need to be a little dizzy, or it's too easy, Mo,” Peter reminded her. “You ready?”</p><p>“Yep,” Morgan said excitedly.</p><p>They all backed away, and Tony placed his hand on Morgan's shoulders to position her and said, "This is the Avengers battle, Take-Two."</p><p>“The press called it the Civil War,” Peter supplied.</p><p>Tony grinned. "Okay, Civil War, Take-Two. My girl is about to take down Captain America."</p><p>Steve groaned, but he was grinning, and there was laughter from those that had been at that battle.</p><p>“Go, Mo,” Peter encouraged.</p><p>Morgan swung out with the stick, missing the pinata completely, then swung again.</p><p>She beat at it, creating a few dents but not breaking it, until Peter suggested she let Nathaniel have a turn.</p><p>Clint scooped his son into his arms and held him while Laura transferred the blindfold from to him, then Clint lined him up underneath and said, “Go for it, Nate.” </p><p>They all took turns, Clint’s children getting a few good hits it and the adults checking their swings and veering off course to keep it fair, until Morgan’s turn came around again. She tugged on Peter’s hand and said. “Can we go together?”</p><p>Peter grinned. “You and me take down Captain America together?”</p><p>“With Iron Man,” she corrected, gesturing with the red and gold stick.</p><p>“Absolutely,” Peter said. “Can you put the blindfold on me?”</p><p>She nodded eagerly and took the cloth from Scott who’d had the last turn, then, when Peter knelt down and squeezed his eyes shut to hide the colors, she took off his glasses and tied it tightly around his head.</p><p>Cooper pointed out that Morgan would be able to see, which his mother scolded him for as it was her party, but Hope came with the compromise of lending her scarf.</p><p>When they were both blindfolded, Tony helped Morgan into Peter’s arms then turned them.</p><p>“You ready for this, Mo?” Peter asked.</p><p>“Ready,” she said brightly.</p><p>Peter grinned. He’d not taken a turn because he had an advantage no one else did, his enhanced sense of awareness, but he was going to put it to use now. He edged closer, listing to the creak of the string against the metal bar, then raised Morgan’s arm to the right position, said, “Swing as hard as you can, Mo.”</p><p>He could tell she obeyed as he felt the jostle in his arms and then the whistle of the stick before they were being showered with packages.</p><p>Morgan cheered, and Tony called, "You did it, kids!"</p><p>Morgan wriggled out of Peter's hold, and then someone was untying his blindfold and perching his sunglasses back on his face. He opened his eyes and saw Tony grinning at him.</p><p>“Nice work, kid,” he said.</p><p>Peter laughed. “It was all Mo.”</p><p>“None of it your Spidey-Tingle?”</p><p>Peter formed his face into innocence. “Nope. All Mo.”</p><p>Tony laughed and squeezed his shoulder. “Well, you did good. Look.”</p><p>Peter looked right and saw the mass of people crawling on the ground underneath the trashed shield pinata, Scott, Steve, and Sam included, gathering the candy.</p><p>Peter stepped back and watched them as they all stuffed their pockets and laughed, and he thought of how good it felt to be home with his family.</p><p>He would need to go away again, there was a whole universe out there that might need him, but he was happy to be back now with the people he loved.</p><p>He’d been gone too long. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So… What did you think? I enjoyed taking a break from plot progression for a while and just writing fluff. Story V is heavy plot where I'm at, so this was great.</p><p>The pinata scene was born from an idea Beachgirl25 had for Avengers themed games. If you have further scenes you'd like to see expanded or from a different point of view as the beginning to this one was, if there's missing scenes or particular events you want to see, let me know and I'll do my best to oblige.</p><p>Until next time…</p><p>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So… We’ve got a nice bit of fluff to enjoy before the fun starts. This story has minimal angst—it’s the lightest of the series so far even. In fact, we get the payoff for all the angst you’ve suffered through so far. Peter’s got big plans, as you will see in the next chapter.<br/>Until next time…<br/>Clowns or Midgets xxx</p></blockquote></div></div>
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